Ogun govt slams ‘impatient’ athletes after sports festival protest

The Ogun State Government has described the protest, which was staged by athletes representing them at the 22nd National Sports Festival on Monday, as an act of impatience, as the government had concluded plans to settle their allowances,

Some of the athletes representing the host state expressed their displeasure over unpaid allowances at the games village in Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, blocking the gates of the facility and leaving other participants stranded for hours.

Their action came two days before the end of the multi-sports event, starting their demonstration as early as 5:30 am and reopening the gates at 12:43 pm after confirming the receipt of some amount of money.

In the wake of the demonstration, the state government said the protest was regrettable as they forced all events scheduled for Wednesday, except the marathon, to start behind schedule.

Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, expressed disappointment, stating that the protest was inconsistent with the values and objectives the state upholds.

“Governor Dapo Abiodun remains deeply sensitive and committed to the welfare of all participants at the festival. There is no circumstance under which he would allow Ogun athletes to suffer or be neglected,” Akinmade said.

“The protest by a few athletes is not only unfortunate but also uncalled for. It stands in stark contrast to the immense success the state has recorded in hosting the festival — from the grand opening ceremony to the impressive performance of Team Ogun,” the statement continued.

Those who protested did so in error. It was a clear case of impatience,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the athletes confirmed the receipt of N50,000, as promised by Governor Dapo Abiodun, along with an additional N140,000 as their festival allowance.

However, the athletes insisted that the agreed allowance was N210,000, calculated at N15,000 per day over 14 days.

The 2024 National Sports Festival will end on Thursday (today), with a closing ceremony at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta.

It’s the second time Ogun State has hosted the NSF, after their first in 2006.

This year, the hosts are third on the medals table with 53 gold, 44 silver and 52 bronze medals.