The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Bukola Olopade has hailed the Ogun 2024 National Sports festival tagged ‘Gateway games’ as the best in the last 25 years.
Olopade stated this at the Mainbowl of the MKO Abiola stadium after playing in the novelty match between Southern sport writers and their Northern counterparts.
The novelty match ended 1-0 in favour of the Northern journalist with the former commissioner for youth and Sports in Ogun state featuring for both teams.
“When I’m doing something right, and I say it with all boldness and confidence that this is the best Sports festival in the last 25 years, I don’t know about the one’s that I wasn’t part of since it’s inception in 1973, but in the last 25 years, I have been part of every festival, Mr. Olopade said.
From the quality of facilities, hostel accommodation, feeding, transport system, quality of comepetition and reportage, we have made a statement and laid down the marker for the next host state (Enugu) in 2026 a lot to think about, we look forward to the closing ceremony as it would be a banger.
He lauded the efforts of SWAN covering the event:
“I had fun,” he said. “Of all the novelty matches I’ve attended, this has been the most exciting. I witnessed a strong spirit of unity and togetherness among members.”
“From when we were given the hosting rights, I made it very clear that this is a media event, and by so doing, we must give the media their credit, no regret that we have given them the necessary support and created an enabling environment for them to thrive, because without the media, no one would know what we are doing, Mr Olopade said.
On the plans for the closing ceremony:
“Its going be a very simple closing ceremony, but very classy, it would be nice, quick, and above all, those who would witness it live at the stadium and those watching from home would be entertained.
Don’t forget, the day of the closing ceremony is also the birthday of the Governor, His Excellency Dapo Abiodun, just as the opening ceremony in 2006 was the birthday of the then Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
When God has his hands in something good, everything works out well for the best,” he concluded.
On hosting to win:
” I never heard Ogun state talking about hosting to win, we only wanted to compete and we have done that so far, remember we came third when we hosted in 2006 and then the following festival in Kaduna, we finished as high as second place which was a massive achievement for us.
He lauded the Ogun state Governor for his exemplary leadership in empowering the state to achieve what they have done at the games:
“Governor Dapo Abiodun has supported Team Ogun through Wasiu Isiaka(Commissioner for youth and sports development), the athletes have been in camp for many months and this success story is not an accident, we have always been finishing around the 6th and 7th place, but this year we are determined to finish as high as thrid position.
“I had earlier predicted that Delta, Bayelsa would come first and second while Ogun would finish third, and that’s what is happening.”
