Chairman, Oyo State Sports Council, Honourable Olugbenga Arole has assured that the State contigents will occupy the first three on the medals table in the 21st edition of National Sports Festival in Asaba, the Delta State and will do everything humanly possible to host the next edition of Nigerian Olympics.
Arole stated this while addressing journalists in Asaba, the Delta State on the expectations of the state and the possibility to be the host of the next edition.
According to the former Chairman, Ibadan North East Local Government, he said: “Oyo State Government under the able leadership of the Executive Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde is doing everything humanly possibility to ensure that the athletes are well motivated. He claimed that the governor fulfilled all the promises made at Edo 2020 where Oyo State came 6th and by this he expects the state athletes to occupy the first three on the log. As at Saturday, day 4 of the National Sports Festival ,Oyo State has won 5 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze medals and still expects more medals as games continue”
“Suffice to add that the Oyo State Government is keenly putting all the machinery in place to host the 22nd edition of National Sports Festival in 2024 stressing that the infrastructural facilities equired to host such a version of Nigerian Olympics is available. The former footballer noted that the efforts of the present administration in prioritizing the sports sector through the rehabilitation and re-modelling of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba and other other five sports facilities across the geo-political zones of the state is already yielding profits. Recal that the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports is from the state and he is a man that believes in merit .Going by this standard, I think that the Oyo State qualifies to stage the fiesta if given the opportunity.
“It may surprise you to know that this is 43 years ago that Oyo State played a host to Nigerian Olympics. It was tagged Oluyole 79 which means that the pace setters State is long over due to host the next edition”.
Oyo State has two hundred and ninety six 296 athletes participating in thirty two different games at the 21st National Sports Festival tagged “ASABA 2022” at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba Delta State. The state has won 5 gold,9 silver and 5 bronze totalling 19 medals
“We have the man power to host the replica the games to showcase and nurture the potentials of our upcoming athletes for development of sports in Nigeria. The fiesta serves as breeding ground for World beaters” .Arole assured.
By: Sunday Agunbiade
