ABEOKUTA – The Director-General, National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade has disclosed that the shift in date of the National Sports Festival to May 16 and 30th, 2025 was to allow the newly created National Sports Commission to settle down and create a sustainable sports economy.
The NSC Director-General stated this on Thursday night in the end of the 1st Joint Technical Meeting of all the 37 Directors of Sports, 37 Technical Directors, all 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 tagged “Gateway Games Ogun 2024”.
Addressing journalists shortly after the announcement of the new date by the Secretary of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC), Mrs. Thecla Opara, the NSC DG said the postponement was strategically done to create an ecosystem of economic sustainability as mandated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Hon. 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, 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, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka 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 Technical Meeting jointly signed by the Chairman, Main Organizing Committee who doubles at the NSC DG, Hon. Bukola Olopade, and Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun State, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka urged Ogun State Government to use the report of the on the inspection of the venues and facilities as checklist to guide the state.
The communique, therefore, called on all 6th 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.
