The national sport festival that was scheduled for January 12, 2024 has been rescheduled.
It was announced after the Joint technical meeting that was held in Abeokuta the capital of Ogun State on Thursday. The aim of this decision was to align the festival with the growing sport strategy and to give more time to put into practice the recommendations made by the committee.
This announcement was confirmed in a jointly signed Director General of the National Sports Commission and Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee, Hon. Adebukola Olopade, and the Ogun State Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka.
In the new timeline, zonal eliminations for team sports will take place earlier, from February 23–28, 2025
The committee showed appreciation to the Federal Government, Babcock University and Cheif Kunle Sonamefor their support.
The joint committee asked the Main committee Secretariat to revisit the games timeline.
“The committee 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,” the communique reads.
Director General of the National Sports Commission addressed journalist saying.
“The communique is clear but what the communique did not capture was that the Ogun state government and the Local Organising Committee were vehemently against any postponement. But in the wisdom of the Technical Committee and the Main Organising Committee, they felt there were so many elements that needed to come together for us to give Nigerians the new definition of sports economy and ecosystem as defined by the President; there was a need to push it forward
We are excited that we have a new date. This gives us five months to properly put everything together and show the whole country what capacity is all about,” he said
Technically, we looked at the facilities, and as professionals, we want something that would be peculiar and nearer to the Olympics.
So looking at all the facilities put on the ground by the Ogun state government, we felt that it would be better for the facilities to be properly fine-tuned to meet the standard so that our athletes would enjoy and not manage,” he added.
The festival was postponed to May 16th to 30th 2025.
Edited by: Oladeji Olabisi
