The National Sports Festival, tagged “Gateway Games, Ogun 2024,” has again been postponed.
The festival, earlier scheduled for January 12 -28, 2025, will now hold between May 16 and 30, 2025.
The Director-General, National Sports Commission, NSC, Bukola Olopade disclosed that the shift in date of the National Sports Festival to May, was to allow the newly created NSC settle down and create a sustainable sports economy.
Olopade stated this at the end of the 1st Joint Technical Meeting of all the 37 directors of sports, 37 technical directors, secretaries of sports federations, and Main Organizing Committee, MOC, and Local Organizing Committee, LOC, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Recall that the Federal Government had earlier announced January 12 -28, 2025 as the commencement of the 22nd National Sports Festival.
Olopade jointly addressed the delegates at the 1st Joint Technical Meeting with the Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun state, Wasiu Isiaka; Secretary, MOC, Mrs. Thecla Opera, and Commissioner for Health in Ogun state, Dr. Tomi Coker.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the announcement of the new date by Opara, the NSC DG said the postponement was strategically done to create an ecosystem of economic sustainability as mandated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olopade maintained that the LOC and Ogun State government were ready to host the festival in January 2025, but the MOC had to listen to the advice of the Technical Directors to push the date further for proper realignment of the Sports Commission.
According to him, the MOC and the Technical Committee have agreed to invite outstanding junior athletes from the just-concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State to form the 38 states that will compete at the National Sports Festival next year.
“In the wisdom of the technical people and the MOC, we just felt there were so many elements that needed to come together for us to give to Nigerians, in the spirit of the new definition of sports organization, and creating an ecosystem of economic sustainability by Mr. President.
“And there was the need to push it forward, to capture all of those elements together. Of course, and also to get the commission to settle down properly.
“All of these were done in agreement and with the approval of Mallam Shehu Dikko, the Chairman of the Sports Commission. So we’re excited that we have a new date.
“We’re excited that it gives us five months to properly put everything together and show the whole country what capacity is all about. It was strategically done to settle a new commission to recognize the idea of creating a sports economy that is sustainable.”
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun State, Wasiu Isiaka expressed satisfaction with the decision of the Technical Committee.
Isiaka maintained that the shift in date would allow the state government to further expand the ecosystem of organizing the best National Sports Festival that will be a reference point in the near future.
Meanwhile, the communique issued at the end of the meeting jointly signed by the Chairman, Main Organizing Committee who doubles at the NSC DG, Olopade, and Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun State, Isiaka urged the Ogun State government to use the report of the inspection of the venues and facilities as checklist to guide the state.
The communique, therefore, called on all delegates to appoint Chief Medical Officer for easy interface before and during the Games.
It, however, announced February 23 – 28, 2025 as the commencement of zonal eliminations for team sports.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
