The National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged ‘Gateway Games’ 2024 is set to kick off on Sunday in Ogun State, with 23 states already arriving in the state for the biennial festival.
The Director General, National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abeokuta.
Olopade expressed confidence that Ogun State would host the best festival in the history of the country, citing visible signs of excellence.
“Twenty-three states are already in the camp; their feeding and welfare are top-notch and seamless.
I just spoke with leaders of four states who are already praising the state. Globally, if you have an event of this nature, the first thing is accommodation and feeding,” he said.
NAN observed that finishing touches were being applied at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, the venue of the opening ceremony.
Different cultural troops were also rehearsing performances for the ceremony at the main bowl of the stadium.
Sports fans and analysts who spoke to NAN expressed confidence that the festival would surpass the successes recorded in the last edition in Delta State.
Mr Abiodun Alabi, a sports journalist, believed that the sports festival would be better than the previous edition, hoping that new talents would be discovered.
“The event will throw more talents that will go on to represent Nigeria at national and international events. It will also create expected economic opportunities for the people of the state.
”The game already left a legacy in terms of infrastructure; the MKO Abiola Stadium, with its new look and capacity, can now host major international events,” Alabi said.
Mr Micheal Adesanya, a sports fan, expressed confidence that the festival would be a good event in terms of athlete quality and talent discovery.
He noted that the festival aimed to promote unity among Nigerians and appealed to organizers not to politicize the games.
“Ensure that proper talents are discovered to replace ageing ones,” Adesanya urged the authorities.
”The festival promises to be an exciting event, showcasing the talents of young athletes from across the country and promoting national unity.
With 23 states participating, the Gateway Games 2024 is expected to be a thrilling competition, with athletes vying for top honors in various sports disciplines.
The festival’s focus on talent discovery and promotion of national unity makes it an important event in Nigeria’s sports calendar. NAN
