Sports
Ogun State Government Releases N16.5m to Enhance Sports Festival Preparation
In preparation for the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2025, the Ogun State government has distributed cheques of N500,000 subvention to 33 sports associations in the state.
This monetary support underscores the government’s strong commitment to the successful outing of its contingent during the sports festival, scheduled for May 16 to 30.
According to the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has graciously approved the payment to support the sports associations. “I am delighted to announce that the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has graciously approved the payment of N500,000 as support to each of the 33 sports associations participating in the festival,” Talabi said.
Talabi emphasized that the subvention is not a largesse to be shared, but rather an avenue to ensure the smooth preparation of the state athletes for the festival.
The state athletes are expected to commence closed-door camping with immediate effect to enhance their performance ahead of the competition. The government will also set up a mechanism to monitor the feedback from the subvention and ensure its sustainability.
Talabi noted that the National Sports Festival has provided a platform for Ogun State to develop its sports sector. “The Governor has sanctioned the implementation of a new structure and process to drive the development of sports.”
“It behoves you all to give an account of all these little gestures. I think it is going to be once or twice in the first instance, and then we will see the feedback; and if the feedback is good, it is not an opportunity for largesse, and that is why the Governor is also putting the responsibility on the Commissioner for Sports Development.
“The government, especially the office of the Secretary to the State Government and the office of the Governor, through the office of the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, is going to set up a mechanism to see the feedback that we are getting from all these gestures we are making so that we can fine-tune it and make sure that it is sustainable,” he added.
He also cautioned against sensationalism, emphasizing the importance of constructive criticisms, “Don’t be mischievous; you know sometimes, some people will just, for no reason, go on social media. It is not the way to get development; it is sensationalism. In the past, some of those people who have done that have confirmed that they wanted their social handles to get the needed traffic.
“But, when you have constructive criticisms, we are ready and willing to take them.”
