By Peter Amine, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
The 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Gateway Games 2024 hosted by Ogun ended with pomp and pageantry but not without shortcomings.
Suffice it to say that the biennial multi-sport event is organised by the Federal Government to bring together athletes from the 36 states and the FCT to compete in various sports, promoting national unity, sportsmanship, and excellence across Nigeria.
The Games brought together sports enthusiasts from all over Nigeria and beyond. Athletes, coaches, government officials, journalists, traders and even spectators converged on Ogun for the two-week sports fiesta.
On May 18, 2025, the festival was officially flagged off by President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu, represented by his second in command, Vice President Kashim Shettima, described sports as a tool for national integration and cohesion.
The President stated that for decades, sports had placed Nigeria on the global map for positive reasons. He said that nothing had brought Nigerians together like sports, whether on the pitch or on the tracks.
“We are reminded daily that we’re not strangers to one another; we are compatriots drawn from different roots but drinking from the same well of national pride.
“We recognised the critical role sports played in building the nation. Sports is about togetherness; sports is the music of our shared ambition.
“That is why here in Nigeria, sports is a rallying point for patriotism and a workshop for shaping not just the body but the mind and spirit of our people,” he said.
Tinubu pointed out that the reorganisation of sports under the present administration into a stand alone National Sports Commission (NSC) reflected the seriousness with which the sector was being guided by the present dispensation.
According to him, for decades, sports had put Nigeria on the global map, from medal-winning Olympians to renowned footballers.
Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman, NSC, corroborated Tinubu, saying that the festival is not just a sporting event; ‘it is a celebration of our diversity, our unity and our shared aspiration to build a stronger Nigeria through the power of sport.’
He lauded Tinubu for his visionary leadership and unwavering support for the sports sector.
Dikko said Tinubu’s bold decision to implement the reorganisation of the Federal Ministry of Sports into a commission has laid a foundation for the sustainable growth of the sporting industry.
“This decision has also strengthened sports to be one of the key drivers of our economy.
“Indeed, this clearly underlines the futuristic vision of Mr President and a clear propensity to take bold decisions, so long as he believes they are right and for the collective good of all.
“Indeed, history will be kind to him for this decision, not just in the sports sector but across other political and social sectors of the country.
“For the first time in the history of the sports festival and in line with the Tinubu’s government, we introduced the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA), and we have over 200 of them participating in this festival,” he said.
The Director-General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, described the 2024 sports festival as the best festival observed in the country.
Olapade added that the festival produced many champions with hidden talents, which he promised would be nurtured to perfection.
The D-G, who was also the Chairman of the Main Organising Committee of the festival, saw the competition as a breeding ground for future world champions.
He lauded that the quality of performances at the festival reflects Nigeria’s immense potential in global sports.
In the same vein, former President Olusegun Obasanjo NSF, said that the NSF over the years served as a beacon of unity , rebuilding the bonds of peace and mutual respect after the civil war.
Obasanjo stated that the sports festival continued to bring people together and foster friendships across cultural divides.
“Since its inception in Lagos in 1973, the festival has been more than a competition; it has served as a beacon of unity, rebuilding the bonds of peace and mutual respect after the civil war.
“Today, it will continue to bring people together, fostering friendships across cultural divides and preparing athletes for future challenges.
“It is found in courage, perseverance and the joy of participation,” emphasising that the thrill of competition is not about the scoreboard but about embracing the love of sport itself.
“The sacrifice, determination, and grit – the qualities that brought each of you here – are victories in their own right.
“For some, the journey to compete may not lead to a podium finish, but the effort and resilience shown are monumental achievements,” he said.
The Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, said the state’s bid to host the event was based on their unshakeable belief in the transformative power of sports and as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and youth empowerment.
The governor said that the state decided to host the event to use it as a catalyst to grow the state and also serve as youth empowerment.
Describing the 22nd NSF as the best-organised in its history, Abiodun expressed pride in the event’s overall execution.
“Our vision was to host a memorable NSF. We worked passionately, and today, we all witness the success of that vision,” he stated.
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), at the end of its National Convention held on the sidelines of the games, commended Ogun for their exemplary hosting of the festival for providing standard facilities across the 37 sporting events featured.
SWAN applauded the NSC for innovation that elevated the standard of the festival, particularly the introduction of the invited junior athletes and other organisational enhancements.
The convention praised the successful digitisation of the media accreditation process, which ensured seamless communication and effective coverage of the festival.
Besides the colourful opening ceremony, the introduction of a digital medal table, digital accreditation and the novel participation of the Independent Junior Athletes ( IJA), there are areas that needed to be critically looked at to enhance the success of subsequent editions of the biennial sports fiesta.
While sports facilities and athlete accommodations were generally fine, there was a need to accommodate more persons, including media practitioners, in subsequent festivals.
Athletes and officials raised concerns over the logistical challenges posed by scattered venues at the festival.
The venues for the Gateway Games were scattered around the capital, Abeokuta, Ikenne, Ijebu Ode and Sagamu.
Ubong Essien, the coach of the Akwa Ibom Tennis Team, who expressed concerns about the distance between the athletes’ accommodation and the venues of events, said that the athletes had to wake up early to beat traffic on the busy road .
On the limited number of tennis courts , he said that it has impacted the number of games to be played at the festival.
“Only four courts are available, but ideally, there should be at least eight because we have many events: the boys’ singles, girls’ singles, mixed doubles, and team events.
“Because of this limitation, the organisers have resorted to playing short sets, which is not the standard.
“Normally, a full set is six games, but now we’re playing four games per set in the first round. Hopefully, during the semifinals, they will return to full sets. The decision to play short sets was made to help keep up with them,” he said.
Essien said that to achieve excellence in the sport, a lot of sacrifices and efforts are needed.
Future hosts should concentrate venues within a central area to minimise travel distances.
It is said that a stitch in time saves nine. Early preparations should be factored into subsequent festivals. A situation where some infrastructure at the venues were under construction or nearing completion is a sad commentary.
The action portrayed the organisers as unserious or unprepared in hosting the showpiece even after a shift in the initial date of January.
“Some buildings were still under construction on the day of the opening ceremony.
“I accidentally stained my sportswear with fresh paint at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena during the opening ceremony.
“”Construction works were going on at the table tennis court and swimming pool on the second day of the festival. I believe we can do better as a people,” Olusegun Kolawole, an athlete, said.
The lack of timely completion of the infrastructure compels the organisers to locate the media centre far away from MKO Sports Arena, making it difficult for sports journalists to operate comfortably.
Again, outdoor sporting events and businesses were disrupted by rain during the festival in Ogun.
Some athletes and officials advised the NSC to avoid holding subsequent games during the rainy season.
Ogunsakin Akinwumi, Team Ekiti tennis player, described the timing of the festival as unfortunate.
Akinwumi said that the festival, especially those to be held in the South West, should be at the end of the year when there is little or no rain.
“May is the time when we have heavy rain in the South West. I understand that facilities were not ready at the end of the year, but we can do better in subsequent festivals,” he said.
This underscores the importance of organising the festival during the dry season to have a seamless event.
It is therefore pertinent for the 2026 host, Enugu State and subsequent hosts to take a cursory look at the lapses identified to improve on the standard so far set by Ogun. (NANFeatures)
