…Says Ogun Ready To Surpass Past Editions
The governor of Ogun Sttae, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday inaugurated a 16-man Local Organising Committee, LOC, for the 22nd National Sports Festival, NSF, to be hosted by the state in 2024.
Speaking at the inauguration of the LOC at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Abiodun noted that the state is more than prepared to surpass previous editions of the festival and the achievements recorded hwen the Gateway State last hosted the competition in 2006.
The Gateway State helmsman noted that his administration is ready to continue to put in place world-class sporting infrastructure across the length and breadth of the state.
Disclosing that the festival isn’t about the competition or the performances, Abiodun noted that the state under his watch is ready to showcase the talent, culture, potential and unique sense of hospitality of the people of the state.
He said, “We are determined to put in place world-class sporting infrastructures across the length and breadth of the state, thus underscoring our determination to ensure that we host a very befitting sports festival to the admiration of all stakeholders in the sector and around the world
“For us in Ogun State, this festival isn’t just about the competition and performances, even though we would love to host and win every medal.
“We want to host a National Sports Festival that will showcase the talent, culture and potential of our great state as well as a very unique sense of hospitality of our people.”
Prince Abiodun, while noting that the NSF brings together the energy and creativity of youths in the country, and also serves as a platform for them to showcase their diverse talents and potentials, added that hosting the festival is a testament to the commitment of his administration to empower the next generation by offering them the opportunity for growth and self-development.
Urging members of the committee to embrace the responsibility given to them with a deep sense of purpose, the governor noted that their attention to detail, effective planning and seamless execution would be the magic they would need to host a remarkable edition of the festival.
Earlier in his response, Chairman of the LOC, and former Commissioner for Youths and Sports in the state; Bukola Olopade, commended Governor Abiodun for bidding and winning the rights to host a successful NSF.
Acknowledging Governor Abiodun for being the first governor in the country to ensure that all its athletes at the last NSF in Delta State went home with cash rewards, irrespective of winning a medal or not, Olopade said, “You have achieved two seconds to none already when our athletes came back from Delta State and you announced the reward to the athletes. I know and I speak authoritatively when I say that has not happened before in this country, where every participating athlete got something to take home despite the fact that they didn’t come back home with medals. It has never happened before.
“The second thing you’ve achieved is putting together, Your Excellency, the aficionados of sports in Nigeria today, the gentlemen and women that are assembled here before you today are literally the best brains and minds in sports today in Nigeria.”
