Gateway Games: Ogun State athletes’ protest disrupts festival schedule

There was palpable tension at the 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) on Wednesday as athletes representing Ogun State, the host of this year’s competition, staged a protest over unpaid allowances.

The demonstration disrupted major events and forced the postponement of key finals scheduled for the day.

The protesting athletes, demanding the immediate payment of their entitlements, blocked the main entrance of the Games Village at Babcock University, leaving athletes from other states stranded and unable to access competition venues on time.

As a result of the protest, the women’s handball final between Ogun and Sokoto, originally scheduled for 9:00 a.m., was postponed to 2:00 p.m.

The men’s final between Ogun and Lagos, initially set for 11:00 a.m., was rescheduled to 4:00 p.m.

Eyewitnesses described the protest as peaceful but resolute, with placard-carrying athletes calling for immediate intervention from the Ogun State Government, accusing it of failing to honor pre-festival financial agreements.

According to one of the affected athletes, the unrest had been building for days.

“There was an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening in front of the Queen Esther Hostel, where many of us are staying. Another meeting happened at 5:00 a.m. today, but nothing came out of it. That’s when we decided to protest,” the athlete told reporters.

The situation has cast a shadow over the festival’s organization, particularly as Ogun State is the host. Observers say the incident raises serious concerns about the preparedness and commitment of the host authorities to athlete welfare.