Victoria Mbangwa
The National Sports Festival, Nigeria’s flagship multi-sport competition, has been postponed once again, raising questions about Ogun State’s preparedness to host the event.
Initially slated for November 2024, the festival, dubbed “Gateway Games, Ogun 2024,” was later pushed to January 2025 before the latest announcement moving it to May 16-30, 2025.
This fresh delay was confirmed in a communique released after a joint technical meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday night.
The communique, signed by the Chairman of the Main Organising Committee, Adebukola Olopade, cited the need for additional time to implement recommendations and observations from the technical meeting. However, it stopped short of elaborating on specific reasons for the postponement.
The communique states, “Agreed that in order to give some time to effect the observations and recommendations from the Joint Technical Meeting, the dates for the 22nd National Sports Festival should be adjusted to May 16-30, 2025; and the Zonal Eliminations for Team Sports for the Games would hold from February 23-28, 2025.”
Earlier this year, Ogun State’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Wasiu Isiaka, assured the public that facilities at key venues, including the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, the Gateway Stadium in Sagamu, and the Alake Sports Centre, would be ready in time for the January 2025 schedule. However, with the latest change, those assurances now appear uncertain.
The festival’s Zonal Eliminations for Team Sports are now scheduled for February 23-28, 2025, suggesting that preparations at the grassroots level will continue despite lingering doubts about venue readiness.
The National Sports Festival has long been a platform for unearthing athletic talent and fostering unity across the nation. But as the timeline for the event stretches further into 2025, questions remain over whether Ogun State can rise to the occasion or if the delays signal deeper organizational challenges.
