Ekiti to host 2nd Ikogosi 17.5km marathon, targets 5000 athletes

The organisers of the 2025 Ikogosi 17.5km Marathon Race have said that about 5000 participants are expected at the second edition of the race, which will be held at Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ikogosi Ekiti, Ekiti State, on November 8.

The Race Consultant, Femi Abegunde, said at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday that the event, organised by the Ikogosi Marathon Initiative in partnership with Ekiti State Government, would feature both elite and local runners.

Ikogosi warm spring is a well-known tourist destination in Ekiti State, Nigeria, famous for its unique natural warm springs that flow side-by-side with cold springs. It attracts visitors from across Nigeria and beyond, making it an ideal location to host a major sporting event.

The Ikogosi Marathon is a relatively new but rapidly growing event aimed at promoting not just sports but also tourism, health, and economic development in the region. The inaugural race in 2023 featured a 10km run and attracted over 2,000 runners, showing strong interest locally and regionally.

Abegunde, who said that race was planned in such a way that it could compare with international marathons everywhere, assured of the security of lives and property and as well safety of the runners.

He said, “The Ikogosi Marathon is more than a sporting event; it is a platform for tourism, health, and community development. The race will promote Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort as a global tourist attraction, boost local businesses through increased patronage, and encourage fitness and healthy living across Nigeria”.

The consultant said that the second edition, which is a 17.5km race, is an improvement over the maiden edition, which featured a 10km race that attracted over 2,000 runners, saying, “This edition is projected to welcome between 4000 and 5,000 indigenous and elite runners, making it one of the most exciting long-distance races in the region”.

Abegunde said that there were attractive prizes for the runners in a bid to encourage excellence.

These, he said, included N2m each as the first prize for male and female elite runners, while the second prize is N1.5m each for male and female in the elite category, and the third prize is N10m each for male and female.

He said that also, as part of efforts to encourage the indigenous (Ekiti indigenes) runners, the first prize is N1.5m each for male and female, the second prize is N10m, while the third Prize is N500,000, adding that the fourth to 10th indigenous runners, male and female, would also get prizes.

The Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Ministry of Youths Development, Mrs Sola-Femi Adeluyi, who viewed the Ikogosi Marathon as a step in youth development, said, “It will help our youth to cultivate resilience and leadership, and boost economic activities”.

The permanent secretary assured the organisers of the support of the Ekiti youth for the success of the event.

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji described the Ikogosi Marathon as “a flagship project that embodies my administration’s vision for sports development, tourism promotion, and youth empowerment”.

Oyebanji, represented by the Technical Adviser on Sports, Dr Olusola Osetoba, stated that the government’s partnership with the Ikogosi Marathon Initiative demonstrated a shared commitment to positioning Ekiti as Nigeria’s leading sports-tourism destination.

Ikogosi Warm Spring is a unique natural wonder located in Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. It is famous for its warm and cold springs that meet but do not mix, flowing side-by-side from the same source.

This rare natural phenomenon has made Ikogosi a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors for its scenic beauty and therapeutic benefits.

Over the years, efforts have been made to develop the area into a comprehensive resort destination with facilities for relaxation, wellness, and recreation.

The warm spring is often viewed as a symbol of Ekiti’s rich natural heritage and potential for tourism-driven economic growth.