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Sports Festival Fever Ends with Grand Finale

The 22nd National Sports Festival, also known as the Gateway Games 2024, will come to a close on Thursday with a spectacular closing ceremony at the MKO Sports Arena in Abeokuta. After 11 days of thrilling competitions, the festival has showcased the country's top athletes and promising talents, with new records being set and old records being shattered.





The festival has been a true showcase of sporting excellence, with Ogun state emerging as a sporting hub. The crowd that attended the male football final between Ogun state and Kwara State, which Ogun won 4-1, was a testament to the enthusiasm of the people. The festival has also produced new exciting young talents, including the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) who won some surprise medals.


Throughout the festival, crowds filled every venue, from the Alake Sports Centre in Ijeja and Baptist Boys High School, to Obafemi Awolowo Square and Remo Stadium in Ikenne, as well as the NYSC Orientation Camp in Shagamu and Ilisan Town Hall in Ilisan, showcasing the nation's passion for sports.


The National Sports Commission (NSC) has expressed its profound gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State Government for their support. NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dilko thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun for their commitment to the development of Nigerian sports. 


Mallam Shehu Dilko said "our overwhelming gratitude goes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR, for his personal commitment to the development of Nigerian Sports by giving us every support financially and otherwise for the success of this festival".


"And the Ogun state Governor, Dapo Abiodun also deserves a huge praise for the feat we all recorded with these games. I can't thank him enough and posterity will surely remember him for good".


NSC Director General Hon Bukola Olopade also extended his gratitude to all the technocrats behind the scene who worked tirelessly to make the festival a success.


"From all the members of the Main organising committee to the various sub committees, to members of the local organising committees and all our technical officials in the various sports to the media and our athletes, every success that everyone is talking about concerning these Games belongs to you all".


" Yes it was not a perfect festival because we acknowledged we also had some challenges but let me assure everyone that some of the challenges are already being worked upon ahead of the next Games holding in Enugu state next year", he concluded.


The closing ceremony is expected to bring together top government functionaries and captains of industry. Ogun state will officially pass the baton of hosting to Enugu state for the 23rd edition of the Games in September 2026. The ceremony will also feature a rich cultural display of the state.




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