Sports

Presidential Spokesman, Sunday Dare to Grace Opening Ceremony of National Sports Festival in Ogun State

Published

7 months ago

May 15, 2025

Joel Ajayi

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications and former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, will attend the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Sports Festival, scheduled to take place in Ogun State from May 16 to 31, 2025.

Hon. Dare was the Minister when Ogun State was officially granted the hosting rights for the festival—widely regarded as Nigeria’s version of the Olympics.

The National Sports Festival, themed “Gateway Games 2024,” will bring together over 15,000 athletes, coaches, and officials from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, competing in about 32 sports. It serves not only as a celebration of sporting excellence but also as a platform for talent discovery and national integration.

The opening ceremony, set to be held at the Moshood Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, will witness the presence of top dignitaries, including the Executive Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawamde as well as other federal and state-level officials, and representatives of the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

Also on ground will be the Festival’s chief custodians—Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, Director General of the NSC and chair of the Main Organizing Committee —both of whom will play key roles in ensuring the smooth coordination of the games.

The Gateway Games is poised to be one of the most memorable editions yet, spotlighting Ogun State as a hub for sports development while fostering unity, peace, and youth empowerment across Nigeria.

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Sports

Tangerine APT Pension Crowned New Kings of PFA Games 2025

Published

5 hours ago

November 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi
Joel Ajayi Tangerine APT Pension stormed the 2025 Pension Fund Administrators Games and snatched the crown with a commanding 66 points—ending FCMB’s reign and announcing themselves as the new champions of corporate sporting excellence.

From the first whistle to the final scoreboard, Tangerine APT played like an organisation possessed. They dominated volleyball and snooker, showcased brilliant tactical depth to finish second in chess behind Norrenberger, secured second place in team bonding behind Premium Pension, and held their own across the board—fourth in football, sixth in table tennis, fifth in scrabble, and eighth in e-sports, press conference, discipline and grooming. Every point mattered, and Tangerine APT grabbed them with fire.

Defending champions FCMB, despite flashes of brilliance, simply could not summon last year’s magic.

They finished second overall with 63 points—just three points behind the new champions. FCMB were first in scrabble, second in football, third in table tennis and e-sports, fourth in snooker and team bonding, and fifth in volleyball, chess, and press conference/discipline/grooming. A brave defence, but not enough to stop the Tangerine wave.

Rounding off the podium is NPF Pension, finishing third with 57 points after a spirited campaign. They claimed gold in football, second in table tennis and e-sports, third in volleyball, fourth in scrabble, sixth in press conference/discipline/fanfare/most coordinated, seventh in chess, and eighth in snooker and team bonding.

The rest of the table saw fierce competition:4th – Norrenberger Pension: 52 points, 5th – Premium Pension: 47 points, 6th – NNPC Pension: 45 points, 7th – Access Arm: 41 points
In Others position 8th – Trustfund Pension: 29 points 9th – PENCOM: 28 points and 10th – NUPEMCO: 25 points.

With the dust settled and the cheers still echoing, one truth stands tall:Tangerine APT Pension has ushered in a new era—bold, dominant, and unforgettable.

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