The Ogun State Government has publicly criticized the recent protest staged by some of its athletes at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival, describing the demonstration as an act of impatience.
The protest, which took place on Monday at the games village located within Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, disrupted the smooth running of the festival and delayed scheduled events.
Athletes representing Ogun State expressed their frustration over unpaid allowances by blocking the gates of the facility, effectively preventing other participants from leaving or entering for several hours. The protest began early in the morning around 5:30 am and lasted until 12:43 pm, when the athletes confirmed receipt of a partial payment.
In response, the state government emphasized that plans to settle the athletes’ allowances had already been finalized. Kayode Akinmade, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, expressed disappointment over the protest, stating, “Governor Dapo Abiodun remains deeply sensitive and committed to the welfare of all participants at the festival. There is no circumstance under which he would allow Ogun athletes to suffer or be neglected.”
Akinmade further described the protest as “unfortunate” and “uncalled for,” noting that it contradicted the remarkable success Ogun State has achieved in hosting the festival, including the grand opening ceremony and the impressive medal haul by Team Ogun. “Those who protested did so in error. It was a clear case of impatience,” he added.
The athletes later confirmed they had received N50,000 as initially promised by the governor, along with an additional N140,000 as their festival allowance. However, they maintained that the total agreed allowance was N210,000, calculated at N15,000 per day over 14 days.
The 2024 National Sports Festival, hosted by Ogun State for the second time since 2006, is scheduled to conclude on Thursday with a closing ceremony at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta. As of now, Ogun State ranks third on the medals table with 53 gold, 44 silver, and 52 bronze medals.
