All is now set for the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State as Governor Dapo Abiodun on Thursday embarked on another tour of the facilities meant to host the event.
The Governor, during an assessment of the work done on the facilities being prepared for athletes participating in the sports festival, including the MKO Abiola International Stadium, the Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts, and handball court behind the main bowl, as well as the Alake Sports Centre, all in Abeokuta, said Ogun State is ready for the festival.
According to the Governor, the facilities put in place will not only be used for the upcoming festival but also other competitions, national and international.
Abiodun added that the MKO Abiola International Stadium, which is being renovated in preparation for the National Sports Festival has already been picked by the African Athletics Federation to host the Under-20 athletics competition in 2026.
The stadium, when completed in preparation for the festival, will no longer be available for non-sporting events in the state, the governor said.
He said: “The track that we installed here has already begun to reap benefits. The African Athletics Federation, because of the quality of our tracks, has chosen Ogun State to host the athletics competition in 2026 for the Under-20.
“So, you find that based on what we have done, Ogun State will now become home to other world-class competitions across the country, across Sub-Saharan Africa, and even internationally.
“For us, we are already excited that this investment has begun to yield dividends. This will be one of the legacies of our administration,” he said.
Governor Abiodun also disclosed that his administration has chosen to construct a pavilion behind the MKO Abiola Stadium to cater to other non-sporting events, with the main bowl of the stadium dedicated only to sporting events.
He said: “Let me assure you that the stadium will only be used for sporting activities. To that extent, we’ve chosen to construct a pavilion somewhere behind the stadium, and that pavilion will now be used for rallies, parties, march pasts, October 1 celebrations, Labour Day celebrations, community days, and Democracy Day.
“All those events will cease to happen in the stadium; the stadium will be made available only for sporting activities.”
Abiodun said that plans are underway to rename the stadium as the MKO Abiola Sporting Complex.
“Our MKO Abiola International Stadium has now gone beyond being just an MKO Abiola International Stadium; it is now an MKO Abiola Sporting Complex. We will soon be holding the renaming ceremony,” he said.
The governor noted that 15,000 people are expected to attend the National Sports Festival, adding that his administration is working to get the Olumo Rock Tourist Center and other adjoining tourist centers ready for the games.
“The festival itself will allow us to host maybe 15,000 people in the city of Abeokuta. You can imagine that those people will be eating and drinking; they will be transported back and forth. They will be buying recharge cards and water.
“Where am I going? They will be visiting our tourist sites. We are getting Olumo Rock and other adjoining tourist centers ready for the games. There will be a lot of visitors sleeping in hotels.
“The economic impact of this festival on the economy of this state can best be imagined; the multiplier effect will be felt more after the games,” he said.
He added that the National Sports Festival creates an opportunity for new talents to be discovered for both national and international sporting meets, noting that what his administration has done with the investment in sporting facilities in the state is the best across the country.
