Ogun State is preparing over 742 athletes across various sports with a view to winning the 22nd National Sports Festival, scheduled to hold from May 16 to 30.
Ogun State is hosting the festival for the second time in 19 years after the successful staging of the event in 2006. Speaking on the state’s preparation for the Festival, at the wekend, Ogun State Commissioner for Sports Development, Wasiu Isiaka, expressed confidence in the state’s readiness to compete favourably, noting that the athletes are currently in camp, preparing diligently for the games.
He said: “Apart from ensuring that we stage the best National Sports Festival, we are also ready to compete fairly against other teams as the host.
“Over 742 athletes in all sports will represent us at the 22nd edition of Nigeria’s version of the Olympic Games. Our athletes are receiving adequate preparation, and they are all in camp, training earnestly for the games.
“We want to compete very well and ensure that our athletes receive the right training ahead of the festival. Some of them are in Lagos, Ilaro, and across the state, working tirelessly for the event. We are aware of the pressure on them as host athletes, but we are allowing them to use some of the facilities that will be used for the games, so they can get accustomed to them before the festival.”
Beyond the festival, the commissioner emphasised the festival’s role in redirecting the focus of the state’s youth towards sports. He said that most of the facilities would be made available to the youth after the festival.
“We understand the impact of sports, and we don’t just want to host for hosting’s sake. We aim to galvanise the interest of the youth in sports. Apart from being a lucrative venture, sports teach life lessons like discipline, teamwork, and resilience. Our youth are our future, and Ogun State has always been at the forefront of discovering talents for the country. We want to continue this even after the festival, ensuring that all our facilities are judiciously used by our youth to empower themselves through sports,” Isiaka enthused.
