NSC Says Better Facilities Key To Sports Greatness
The Director-General, National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Tuesday said the Commission was working round the clock to revive old and establish new sports facilities across the country, as Nigeria has the potential to become a sporting powerhouse with improved facilities.
Olopade disclosed this while addressing athletes and officials at the 2025 South-West Zonal Elimination Competition for the 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF) in Ibadan.
He then charged sports stakeholders in Nigeria to collaborate and ensure the digitalisation of sports in the country.
“Some sports facilities must be upgraded with modern technologies in mind, in line with what is obtainable globally,” Olopade said. “The biggest challenge is about the state of our sports facilities in Nigeria.”
“There is the need for them to be upgraded and as well ensure that new ones are constructed. We have enough manpower in terms of referees, athletes and other officials.”
It is just for us to have good facilities to ensure that every athlete and official enjoy what they know how to do best,” the NSC Director-General said.
Speaking on the level of preparations for the 2024 NSF, Olopade said the Commission has been intentional in the preparation for the event in terms of budgeting and facilities’ upgrading.
He added that the competition tagged Gateway Games 2024, was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to use sports as a tool of empowerment for youths.
The NSC Director-General noted that talents from the competition would become professionals who could become bread winners for their families.
“The essence of the sports festival is to create a platform where we can bring young people together to exhibit their skills,” he added.
“I believe that sports has to be in the front-burner of nation-building, which must get to a stage where the media will not be exhibiting sports at the back pages of newspapers. I am very proud to say the NSC is doing all that is necessary in readiness for the Gateway Games.”
“There are provisions on ground to support states in areas of feeding, accommodation and equipment, with special provisions for invited junior athletes who are to be called the ‘38th state’.”
“We are convinced that the games will be the best in history, as we are set to create an amazing experience for about 15,000 young Nigerians,” he said.
States in the south-west zonal elimination competition are Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, Oyo and Ondo states. Winners and second-placed teams in each of the eight games at the zonal eliminations across the country will qualify for the 22nd NSF scheduled for Ogun.
The festival is slated to hold from May 16th – 30th, 2025.
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