Ogun indicates interest in hosting National Sports Festival

Ogun State government has indicated interest to host the National Sports Festival just as it has commenced renovation of sport facilities across the state.

The state governor, Dapo Abiodun gave this indication when he received the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

“We will like to host the National Sports Festival in Ogun State and I believe that you can not find a better state than us, particularly as the Gateway State.

“I was just sharing with you that we are quite disappointed that having hosted the Sports Festival in Edo, when the next state was announced, it now became Delta. we know that when the idea of the festival was first conceived, the whole idea of it was to foster unity amongst all the state in the country, particularly encourage our youths to travel and explore other states, enjoy their hospitality, understand their culture, heritage and compete with each other.

“So, when the festival goes to Edo State today and then tomorrow goes to Delta, it clearly contradicts the vision for its formation. I want to implore that going forward, we will like to host the sports festival in Ogun State, I believe that you can’t find a better state than us,” Abiodun posited.

He pointed out that as a result of huge fund required by the sports sector and competitions from other sectors for funding, his administration would set up a Sports Trust Fund where certain percentage of money is deposited on monthly basis to fund sporting activities in the state.

Speaking earlier, the Sports Minister assured that the National Sports Festival, would not depart from its original objective of promoting and fostering unity among the various ethnic groups as well as encouraging sports and youth development, which are the core mandates of his ministry.

Dare, who added that his ministry was looking for ways of strengthening the festival, revealed that an initiative had been put in place where an athlete is sponsored for training both locally and internationally, as well sporting facility is adopted for renovation.

Meanwhile, responding to the adopt-an-athlete initiative of the Sports Ministry, Governor Abiodun announced the adoption of Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan, a Nigerian track and field athlete of Ogun State extraction.

The 24-year-old Oluwatobiloba, who specializes in the 100 metres hurdles and sprint, won the 2018 Commonwealth and 2019 African Championship. She is also a two-time African Games champion, whose highest ranking is third in the world.

The governor, however, called on the minister not to hesitate to find other indigenes of Ogun doing well in sports, declaring his government was ready to support and throw its weight behind them.