Renowned Nigerian sports management expert and former Commissioner of Youths and Sports in Ogun State, Chief Bukola Olopade, has been named by the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, as the Chairman Local Organising Committee for the 2024 National Sports Festival.
The announcement was made today in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital in an official press statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi.
Talabi noted in the statement which also unveiled the 16-man Local Organizing Committee members, that, the statement was a reaffirmation of the state’s readiness to host a world-class National Sports Festival.
Mr. Tilewa Adebayo, a sports enthusiast, was announced as Co-chairman of the LOC.
The Ogun State government noted that the appointment of Chief Bukola Olopade on Tuesday was a means of announcing the readiness of the Ogun State Government to host a befitting 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF) in fulfillment of an earlier promise made by Governor Dapo Abiodun.
It would be recalled that the state government, earlier in May, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development.
During that occasion, Governor Abiodun had told the Federal Government delegation led by the then Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, that Ogun State, being a state noted for recording many firsts in all spheres of human endeavours, was ready to host a world-class festival in 2024, asserting that the state had capable hands and sponsors ready to support the bid.
To that end, the former minister, while expressing the FG’s acceptance of the proposal, noted that, the choice of Ogun State as the next host of the NSF was due to its culture of sports development, availability of sporting infrastructure and potential to host a befitting festival that would linger for a long time.
Olopade, the progenitor of the top-rated Access Bank-sponsored Lagos City Marathon, Abeokuta 10km Marathon race, and the Remo Ultra-race, remains topnotch in the world of sports in Nigeria. He’s also renowned to have hosted the best National Sports Festival in the history of Nigerian sports at Gateway Games 2006.
Other members of the committee include: Chief (Mrs.) Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo (MON), the Secretary-General of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the NSF Edo 2020, Dr. Emmanuel Igbinosa, former chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) Dr. Kweku Tandoh, renowned sports psychologist and Head of the Department of Sports and Exercise Medical Sciences at University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana, Professor Oluwaseun Olanrewaju Omotayo, the Vice Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Hon. Dare Alebiosu, veteran sports journalist Mr. Kunle Solaja, Olusegun Oyende, Mr. Olatunji Onatolu, retired ace broadcaster Mrs. Modele Sharafa Yussuf, Rugby Federation president Demola Are, Abiodun Jubril Elegbede and Ola Opedimeji Adisa.
The statement said that the LOC has been mandated to set up sub-committees, made up of various stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free exercise as well as deliver a sports festival that is second to none in the country.
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