Sports
NSC DG Bukola Olopade charges Invited Junior Athletes, IJA, to make history at Gateway Games
Joel Ajayi
The Director General of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Hon Bukola Olopade, has charged the Country’s Invited Junior Athletes ( IJA), contingents to see their participation at the forthcoming 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State as a bold step towards their Sporting Greatness.
The DG gave the charge when he visited the Athletes in their training camp in Abuja on Wednesday, where he held an exciting interactive discussion with them to boost their morals ahead of the Games.
Nigeria Sports is currently receiving a breath of fresh air with the IJA concept where the very best of the Country’s young athletes across multiple Sports have been selected to feature as the 38th State at the Sports Festival.
The NSC DG reminded the athletes that they are the future of the country’s Sports and that is why Mr President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, backed the Commission to create the IJA concept into the Sports festival, starting with the Gateway Games.
” This is the first time Nigeria is having this sort of arrangement. That means for those of you who finally makes it to Abeokuta, your names would have been written in the history book forever. So work very hard to qualify to go to Abeokuta”.
” We created the Invited Junior Athletes concept because we believe in the talents of young people that are bound in this country. If you have gone to the Youth Games and you are champion, let us then see how you grow into the elite cadre. And the only way you can grow into that cadre is by competing and beating the Elite Athletes”.
“I want to assure you all that if you win 10 Gold medals at the Festival in Ogun State, you have a big gift from the chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikkko”
.
” Once again I have come to say thank you for your service to the nation, thank you for loving what you know how to do best and above all to charge you that this thing that you have started, May God lead and guide you all to greater heights”.
The IJA will compete in about nine Sports at the Gateway Games which including ; Athletics, Badminton, Football, Para Athletics, Swimming, Table tennis, tennis, Wrestling and weightlifting.
Sports
Lagos State Sports Commission, Abbey Rangers FC Seal Groundbreaking Partnership for Grassroots Football Development
The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) has unveiled a groundbreaking partnership with Abbey Rangers Football Club, a renowned community football institution in the United Kingdom, marking a new era in grassroots football development in Nigeria.
Under this strategic alliance, Abbey Rangers FC will collaborate with the Lagos State Sports Commission to implement a robust seven-pillar framework focused on:
talent development, coaching enhancement, sports science, community engagement, policy support, resource mobilization, and infrastructure growth.
The partnership is a first of its kind between Nigeria and a UK-based community football club and aims to create a sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive football ecosystem in Lagos State. It promises to unlock new international opportunities for young athletes and coaches, offering pathways for advanced training, mentorship, and global exposure.
Speaking at the official unveiling, Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Lekan Fatodu, described the partnership as “a landmark step in Lagos’ mission to build a sustainable and inclusive sports ecosystem.”
“This collaboration represents a deliberate effort to connect Lagos with global best practices in grassroots football development,” Fatodu stated.
“Abbey Rangers brings proven expertise and community-driven values that align with our vision to nurture world-class talent and position Lagos as a continental hub for youth sports excellence.”
In his remarks, Abbey Rangers Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nick Riley, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting that it reflects the club’s long-standing commitment to community-driven sports development.
“We are proud to partner with Lagos State on this visionary initiative,” Riley said.
“Abbey Rangers has always believed that community football is a powerful tool for development, inclusion, and opportunity. This collaboration allows us to share our grassroots model and experience with one of Africa’s most dynamic cities.”
The LSSC–Abbey Rangers partnership is a reflection of Lagos State’s strategic commitment to developing the next generation of football talent through international collaboration, innovation, and community-based sports programs. It also reaffirms the Commission’s leadership in driving sports diplomacy and youth empowerment across Africa.
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