Sports

Unforgettable Start: Gateway Games 2024 Opens with World-Class Ceremony

Published

1 year ago

May 19, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

Call it a gateway of excellence, a gateway of prosperity, or a symbol of national unity and peace—you won’t be wrong.

It was an evening filled with entertainment, laughter, and celebration as Nigerians came together to embrace the nation’s rich and diverse culture. The 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, kicked off on Sunday with what many have described as the most colorful and spectacular opening ceremony in the history of the games.

The event featured vibrant cultural displays showcasing Nigeria’s heritage, with electrifying musical performances that lit up the night. Renowned Nigerian artistes Asa and Davido headlined the ceremony—Asa opened with a soulful performance, while Davido brought the curtain down with an energetic and thrilling finale.

More than 10,000 athletes from the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and the Invited Junior Athletes Team are competing in 33 sports disciplines. The festival will be held across multiple venues in Abeokuta, including the Alake Sports Centre, the newly renovated MKO Abiola Stadium, Remo Stars Stadium, and Babcock University Sports Complex.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, welcomed state delegates and assured them of a groundbreaking event that will set new standards in the history of Nigerian sports.

The sporting community, both at home and abroad, was captivated by the world-class spectacle, infused with rich cultural heritage and star-studded performances.

In his address, Hon. Olopade emphasized the core values of the festival—love, focus, discipline, and unity. He noted that the festival is not just a sporting event, but a celebration of integrity and sportsmanship.

“Let medals be won with honor, not by crook,” he urged, stressing the importance of fair play and true athletic spirit.

The DG acknowledged the unwavering support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose vision and leadership he credited for the transformation currently taking place in Nigerian sports.

“We are where we are today—revamping, reshaping, and resetting our sports ecosystem—because of Mr. President’s vision. He is the reason the National Sports Festival now has a world-class standard, and we will continue to thank him,” he said.

He also commended the Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, for his dedication to the success of the festival.

“Mallam Dikko has shown immense commitment and passion for this project. That spirit must be reflected in every athlete and official involved,” he added.

Hon. Olopade expressed deep appreciation to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for his exceptional support in mobilizing resources and empowering stakeholders. He described the games as “a festival of modern times,” poised to place Ogun State on both the national and international sports map.

Welcoming participants to the state, Hon. Olopade concluded with emotion: “Welcome to my story—a game I bid for, a journey that has my name written all over it.”

As anticipation builds, Gateway Games 2024 is shaping up to be a landmark edition of the National Sports Festival—celebrating not just athletic excellence, but also unity, passion, and the enduring Nigerian spirit.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

1 hour ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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