OBASAN OLUWAFUNSO Ogun State won the race to host the rest of the country for the second time after the conclusion of the 21st National Sports Festival hosted by Delta State where the state finished eighth with 70 medals, comprising 15 gold medals, 18 silver medals and 37 bronze medals.
To win the right to host the rest of the country for the forthcoming National Sports Festival, Ogun State edged out five other states to emerge as the host state for the 22nd edition of the biennial sporting showcase.
Governor Dapo Abiodun in 2023 assured a delegation led by the Director of the National Sports Festival and Paralympics Sports; Mr Peter Nelson before the commencement of the 21st edition of the festival in Delta state where he assured the people of the country that the sporting facilities that would be presented by the state for the National Sports Festival will be given topmost priority to host the country’s equivalent of the Olympics.
On the 31st day of July, 2023, the Ogun state government unveiled a 16-member local organising committee to be led by former commissioner for youths and sports in the state; Hon. Bukola Olopade alongside a sports enthusiast; Tilewa Adebayo as co-chairman.
The local organising committee also has the likes of two time Olympic medallist and the first female Nigerian to win an individual Olympic medal; Falilat Ogunkoya, Dr. Emmanuel Igbinosa, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, Professor Oluwaseun Omotayo, Hon. Dare Alebiosu, Mr Kunle Solaja,Olusegun Oyende, Mr. Olatunji Onatolu, Mrs Modele Sharafa-Yusuf, Demola Are, Abiodun Jubril Elegbede, Ola Opedimeji Adisa, the Commissioner for Sport Development and the Permanent Secretary are also members.
In fulfilment of the promise of Governor Dapo Abiodun that his administration is ready and poised to host a world class National Sports Festival that would become a benchmark for other states of the federation, the Ogun State Government has begun the construction of an Olympic sized swimming pool, handball court and tennis courts at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in the state capital, Abeokuta in Ogun State.
Aside the construction of the new sporting facilities, contractors has also begun the reconstruction of the MKO Abiola International Stadium and the Alake Sports Centre in Abeokuta.
At the MKO Abiola International Stadium, work has begun on the tartan tracks, playing surface of the field, the electronic scoreboard has been changed to conform with world standards, the flood lights has also been changed, with VIP section and other seating areas of the stadium set to be touched for the games.
The Alake Sports Centre in Ijeja, Abeokuta is also going through several changes as the indoor sport hall, offices, basketball court, handball court and Volleyball court is going through the process of making them world standard as the facility is going through what can be described as the first of its kind reconstruction.
Alake Sports centre since it was built and commissioned in 1990 has not witnessed the type of reconstruction it is witnessing today, the new Alake Sports Centre that would be hosting the rest of Nigeria is a testament to the fact that the Ogun State Governor is not just hosting just a festival but is hosting a festival that would be played on world standard sporting facilities.
Without doubt, sporting activities are set to be enhanced in Ogun State with the new development, the revival of sporting activities has begun as the new sporting arenas and reconstructed sporting centres would definitely make the state a haven for sporting competitions.
Recently the National Bureau of Statistics ranked Ogun State among the best in Internally Generated Revenue [IGR] in the country, the revelation by NBS showed that Ogun State generated more revenue than five states in one zone and six in another zone in 2023, realistically speaking, Ogun State is now among the few states in the country that can thrive without Federal allocations.
Also, a leading socioeconomic and civic organisation, BudgiT Research has also judged Ogun State higher on the state of states performance on index A.
The organisation said on its website that ‘ States that rank higher on index A have comparatively limited dependence on federally distributed revenue for their operations and thus have greater viability if they were to theoretically exist as an independent entity.
The rise in financial independence of Ogun State under the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun can be likened to the present administration’s determination and deliberate attempt to grow the state to the position it is today, today, Ogun State can now boast of not only being the Gateway state, but also the emerging economic hub of the country.
Governor Dapo Abiodun is making Ogun State a place to come to for leisure, with the intentional development of the state, the ongoing construction of the Gateway Agro-cargo Airport, the recent ground-breaking ceremony of the Gateway Inland Dry Port, construction of over 600 kilometres of road across the state are definitely some of the factors that has led to the rice of Ogun state as one of the few states that does not need to depend on federal allocations to survive.
To show to the entire world that he is a man of his words, Governor Dapo Abiodun paid a visit to the MKO Abiola International Stadium and the Alake Sports Centre all in Abeokuta, the state capital where he reiterated his promise in 2023 to a delegation led by the Director of the National Sports Festival and Paralympics Sports; Mr Peter Nelson that his administration will host the best festival ever.
The construction of a new Olympic size swimming pool, lawn tennis courts, handball court and the overall reconstruction of the MKO Abiola International Stadium and the Alake Sports Centre all in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital are all avenues meant to continue to make Ogun state a place to come and leave, work and play for sports enthusiasts, thereby contributing their own quota towards the continuous development of Ogun State.
On the 25th of October, 2024, Governor Dapo Abiodun during a visit to the two sport centres in Abeokuta stated that preparations are in top gear for the 2024 National Sports Festival to be hosted in January, 2025.
Governor Dapo Abiodun said that his government would provide a state of the art sporting facility for the games, a visit to the venue showed that all hands are indeed on deck, Nigeria will definitely marvel at the sporting facilities on parade.
‘I want to say that I am impressed with the level of activities that I have seen at the stadium. I have been to the area where the Olympic size swimming pool is being constructed, as well as the tennis courts and the handball court.
‘Now I am here at the main bowl where the pitch is being removed, the surface is being prepared in readiness for concrete work and eventually the turf.
‘ The turf itself has been totally removed and the drains have been opened, they are going to ensure that the pitch is canvassed so that when it rains, the water goes into the drain, the track is also getting ready and I am satisfied with the level of professionalism being demonstrated by the contractors.
‘I believe that they are very experienced, they know what to do as some of them have worked here in the past, so they are very familiar with the facility.
‘I have pointed out a few things to them and I have seen what they are doing with the scoreboard, flood lights and VIP section.
“We are excited that the Alake Sports Centre is also being totally reconstructed, the last time anything was done at the Alake Sports Centre was merely painting, we want to have a world class sports festival where all the athletes are in one location.
‘’There will be a games village where they will come from one location to where sports activities will take place.
‘It is a reflection of our commitment to sports development, we have consultants that will ensure the success of the games,’ Governor Dapo Abiodun said.
No doubt, the construction of the Olympic sized swimming pool and the world class lawn tennis courts and handball court at the MKO Abiola International Stadium as well as the upgrade of the tartan track and playing surface of the MKO Abiola International Stadium and the overall renovation of the Alake Sports Centre in Abeokuta would continue to contribute to the rise of the state in the generation of internally generated revenue as the influx of sport enthusiasts, sport entrepreneurs and sport men and women into Ogun State will continue to add to the growth of internally generated revenue for Ogun State.
Sporting events will no doubt continue to be held in Ogun State after the expiration of the National Sports Festival, sport entrepreneurs will take advantage of the huge upgrade in the sporting facilities in the state, swimming competitions and lawn tennis competitions will spring up thereby by making Ogun State the destination of choice for sport in the country.
In the area of sport development, Governor Dapo Abiodun has done very well, the hosting right for the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival to be hosted by Ogun State from January 12 to January 26, 2025 will not only showcase the state has been the first and the best in everything it does but show to the entire nation that Governor Dapo Abiodun is a visionary leader who does things with perfection.
For hundreds of sports writers and journalists that will visit Ogun State for the National Sports Festival, a standard Media Centre will be constructed by the Ogun State Government for their convenience and professional usage,
Indeed, Ogun State under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun is truly ready to host the best ever National Sports Festival.
Obasan Oluwafunso works with the Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy.
