Sports
Enugu State Government Pledges World-Class Experience as Enugu City International Marathon Nears in 5 Days
The wait is almost over for the biggest Road Race in the history of South Eastern Nigeria as all eyes will be on Enugu this weekend for the Enugu City International Marathon, organised by Nilayo Sports Management Company.
As Nigeria continues to increase its sporting profile as a hub for World class international Road Races, the Enugu City International Marathon coming up on May 3rd 2025 is about to break new grounds with a high level of preparations and organisation put together by the State Government.
Elite Athletes from top Marathon Countries like Kenya, Ethiopia , Somalia and Eritrea have already had their flights booked to land in Enugu, Nigeria for the much anticipated race.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah said his administration is committed and deliberate in its determination to make the state a major Sports hub for the country and this weekend’s race will be a major proof of that commitment”.
” This week is the week of the race and we are currently dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s in order to put up an excellent event this Saturday. We are working closely with all the relevant professional organisations and stakeholders to ensure nothing is left behind”.
” We are very happy with the support we have been getting from the National Sports Commission, NSC, in Abuja, especially the support from the Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and the Director General Hon Bukola Olopade”.
” We all can see the transformative changes our Sport is enjoying since the two of them have been at the helms and we are very happy to align with their Sports Economy initiatives”, he added.
Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Enugu State, Lloyd Ike Ekweremadu Jr. said Enugu State has always had a rich heritage of Sporting history and this is what the Governor is committed to resuscitating by staging a marathon of this magnitude and also hosting the 23rd edition of the National Sports Festival in 2026.
He said “we are all looking forward to this weekend with high expectations and enthusiasm and I call on every citizen of the state and beyond to come out and support the athletes as they run around our beautiful city this Saturday”.
Sports
A Triumphant Close to the 22nd National Sports Festival
…As organisers promise another spectacle at closing ceremony on Thursday
Joel Ajayi
After 11 days of a true showcase of sporting competition in multiple Sports by some of the country’s top and even promising athletes, the curtain will finally be drawn on what many have described as one of the best ever organised National Sports festivals, when the closing ceremony is held on Thursday at the MKO Sports Arena in Abeokuta.
Whilst the quality of the Games’ opening ceremony is still getting tongues wagging, the entire sporting family and beyond is now anxiously looking forward to what the closing ceremony will look like.
The last 11 days have showcased Ogun state as a true Sporting hub with potential to even do more, with the quality of the facilities built for the games and the enthusiasm of the people who made the various venues their second home in the last few days.
A big testament to this was the history-making crowd that attended the male football final between Ogun state and Kwara State, which the host won by 4-1.
The MKO stadium was filled to full capacity while the crowd outside watching from the big screen reminds one of how much Sports is truly the soul of our togetherness as a country.
From the Alake Sports centre in Ijeja and the Baptist boys high school, to the Obafemi Awolowo square and the Remo stadium both in Ikenne, to the NYSC orientation camp in Shagamu, and the Ilisan town hall in Ilisan, the festival never lacked spectatorship throughout the games.
The Games actually lived up to the pre-tournament hype as both the National Sports Commission, NSC and the Ogun state Government pulled out every administrative capacity to ensure both athletes, officials and the media have an unforgettable experience.
The Gateway Games 2024 had been full of exciting drama and intrigues amongst the states and athletes which led to different new records being set and some old records being shattered.
The festival has also produced for the country some new exciting young talents especially with the shocking performance of the 38th state, the Invited Junior Athletes ( IJA), where they ended up winning some surprised medals to justify the Commission’s establishment of the initiative.
As the Closing ceremony holds on Thursday, the leadership of the National Sports commission, NSC, expresses its profound gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State Government for making sure millions of Nigerian youths see a renewed brighter future in the country through the National Sports Festival.
The NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dilko said ” our overwhelming gratitude goes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR, for his personal commitment to the development of Nigerian Sports by giving us every support financially and otherwise for the success of this festival”.
” And the Ogun state Governor, Dapo Abiodun also deserves a huge praise for the feat we all recorded with these games. I can’t thank him enough and posterity will surely remember him for good “.
The NSC Director General who is also the Chairman of the Main organising committee of the games, Hon Bukola Olopade also extended his gratitude to all the technocrats behind the scene that are responsible for the successful organisation of the games.
” From all the members of the Main organising committee to the various sub committees, to members of the local organising committees and all our technical officials in the various sports to the media and our athletes, every success that everyone is talking about concerning these Games belongs to you all”.
” Yes it was not a perfect festival because we acknowledged we had also some challenges but let me assure everyone that some of the challenges are already being worked upon ahead of the next Games holding in Enugu state next year”, he concluded.
The Closing ceremony is expected to bring together top Government functionaries to captain of industries while there will also be the rich cultural display of the state as Ogun state will officially pass the barton of hosting to Enugu state for the 23rd edition of the Games come September 2026.
-
Featured6 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured5 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured6 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured5 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured4 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Sports3 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News5 months agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
-
Featured6 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
