Gateway Games 2024 - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Muhyideen Jimoh
Apr, Thu, 2025

Sports

Gateway Games will test Nigeria’s sports reforms- Dikko

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By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Malam Shehu Dikko, says the upcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) in Ogun will serve as a major test of the Federal Government’s ongoing sports reforms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival termed ‘Gateway Games’ is slated for May 16 to May 30.

Dikko stated this while delivering a keynote address virtually from Milan, Italy, at the opening ceremony of the Extraordinary National Council on Sports meeting on Tuesday in Abeokuta.

“An Olympics-standard National Sports Festival in Abeokuta will be the true test of the ongoing reforms in the Nigerian sports sector,” he said.

Dikko commended President Bola Tinubu for the bold decision to replace the Federal Ministry of Sports with the NSC.

He said that the decision marked a significant turning point for the sector.

“Mr President is known for taking very bold decisions. The decision to reintroduce the NSC was a very bold one and truly challenged us.

“We aligned with the President’s Renewed Hope and Shared Prosperity agenda by launching the Renewed Hope Initiative for the Nigerian Sports Economy (RHINSE).

“This reform agenda has taken us down a road less traveled,we are no longer competition-driven but focused on the holistic development of sports, from grassroots to elite levels,” he said.

The NSC boss emphasised the need for private sector involvement, infrastructure upgrades, and greater attention to grassroots and school sports.

“We must prioritise talent development. If done right, Nigeria can generate significant revenue through the export of sporting talent.

“The goal is to make sports a major contributor to the national economy,” he added.

He said the 22nd National Sports Festival in Abeokuta should set a new benchmark and aim for an Olympics-standard event that defines future editions.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

Muhyideen Jimoh
Apr, Wed, 2025

Sports

NSF: Ogun Govt. unveils mascot, logo, theme song

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By Abiodun Lawal

The Ogun Government has unveiled the mascot, logo and theme song for the 2024 National Sports Festival, also known as Gateway Games 2024.

At the unveiling ceremony in Abeokuta on Tuesday evening, Gov. Dapo Abiodun said that state was ready to deliver a befitting National Sports Festival holding from May 16 to May 30.

Abiodun , represented by his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said that the festival would be a reference point in the history of the games.

”We are ready to raise the bar significantly, close to two decades that Ogun last hosted the multi sports event.

”The mascot reflects the energy and cultural heritage of the good people of Ogun.” he said.

The governor lauded the Local Organising Committee for working round the clock in order to ensure that success was achieved.

He said the state government had made significant investments in the sporting facilities, which he believed would stand the test of time even beyond the games.

Abiodun assured team Ogun athletes that the state was solidly behind them, while encouraging citizens to actively participate and also welcome guests with kindness before, during and after the games.

He described sports as a unifying tool, adding that it remained a stepping stone for athletes aiming for global recognition and glory.

Abiodun called for support from stakeholders, expressing the need for all hands to be on deck in order to achieve the desired goals.

” The 2024 edition will raise the bar through innovative ideas and world-class preparations that will redefine the entire festival experience.

” The theme song, composed by Dr Bayo Adepetun, and the mascot, designed by a creative team from the state’s Ministry of Culture.

” The symbolic elements reflect the energy, cultural heritage, and aspirations of the good people of Ogun,” he said.

NAN reports that the sports festival, the 26th edition, is a biennial multi-sports event, brings together thousands of athletes from Nigeria’s 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory to celebrate sportsmanship, national unity and sporting excellence.

The festival, a celebration of Nigeria’s rich sports and cultural heritage, is billed to feature athletes competing in 33 sporting events. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza