By: Saheed Abdullahi
It all started with a morale booster at a media briefing with the Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kwara State Chapter, before the take-off of Team Kwara to the just concluded 2025 National Youth Games held in Asaba, capital of oil-rich State Delta. The competition was at the behest of the Delta State Government.
At the Media Parley, the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Coach Bolakale Adisa Magaji, addressed members of Team Kwara and challenged them to pursue medals with all their energies. Coach Magaji, admirably referred to as the sports encyclopaedia, submitted that the athletes for the National Youth Games were meticulously assembled after scaling through rigorous training and trials without fear or favour.
Arriving at the Ifeanyi Okowa Main Bowl of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, for the screening of athletes of participating states, including Team Kwara, the first lapse observed at the competition was the acceptance of overaged athletes from some states to the disadvantage of the Kwara contingent. Unfortunately, some overaged athletes, who boycotted the screening, were again cleared to feature in the National Tournament.
Director of Sports of the Commission, Mallam Ibrahim Oladele Bako, who calmly took note of the infractions, could not hide his displeasure over the glaring foul play, which the Screening Committee perpetuated. He told coaches and sports secretaries to “always shine their eyes” in the selection of athletes to guard against surcharge.
However, undeterred, Team Kwara put all the vexed issues arising from the screening process behind them and resumed action against their recalcitrant opponents. Like a joke, the darling Kwara contingent began to teach their respective opponents lessons of their lives as many of them suffered bloody-nose defeat in various encounters.
Team Kwara Cyclist, Falilat Abdulrazaq, blazed the trail of medals with gold while others emerged victorious in Squash, Para-Athletics, Para-Powerlifting, Karate, Wishu Kun Fu, Judo, Table Tennis, Swimming, and Badminton, among others.
Among Team Kwara's young talents is Precious Gbotemi Adekunle, a badminton player. Gbotemi really dealt with her opponents, including the host state Delta, to earn a coveted gold medal. Similarly, the most astonishing player in the National Youth Games was the six-year-old Scrabble Gold Medalist, Abdulsalam Yusuf. The Offa-born Gold Medallist made Kwara proud with his scrabble prowess. No one envisaged that such a young boy could attain that feat.
At the climax of the tournament, Team Kwara was able to secure 15 gold, 10 silver, and 19 bronze to earn 5th position, the same position the state held last year, with an increase in medals. All eyes are on the sports-loving Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to reward not only the athletes but all those who contributed to the success of Team Kwara, including the entire staff of the commission, the media crew, and others.
Lagos came first, while Delta, Edo, Bayelsa clinched second, third, and fourth positions, respectively. The question to ask is, why did the host Delta, which used to be a defending champion in the National Sports Festival and Youth Games, concede to Lagos?
The answer is not far-fetched. It was the character of Delta to always poach athletes from other states to win medals for them during the tenure of their immediate past Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa. But in the just concluded National Youth Games, the incumbent Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori coerced Delta State Sports Commission to groom their athletes from the grassroots.
Unfortunately, Delta State didn't do well in the competition. It was between 4 and 5 positions in the medal table initially, but clandestinely moved to second. Available information indicated that points of some states, including Kwara, were unjustly deducted. It was gathered that some athletes with gold medals were converted to silver and bronze in the bid to pave the way for Delta to occupy second position.
It should be noted that hosting the National Youth Games this year in Delta State was characterized by anger following the poor treatment meted out to athletes. The athletes were camped at Dennis Osadebey University Hostel Anwai, Asaba where the athletes, coaches, sport secretaries, media crew, and officials experienced acute space shortage.
Team Kwara and contingents from other states endured inadequate water and erratic power supply. As Journalists, we had to report the situation when we noticed that immediately we arrived, before the situation later improved a little. Another glaring issue was the lack of a transportation system and, unavailability of shuttle buses to convey athletes from the hostel to sports venues.
The whole situation looked as if Delta State was not ready to host the just-concluded National Youth Games. Sadly, the State Governor, Sheriff Oborivbori, announced at the closing ceremony that Delta State will still be hosting next year in line with the agreement signed between the state and the defunct Federal Ministry of Sports. It is really appalling that Delta does not allow Lagos to host the next year's National Youth Games, having shown interest. Truth be told, contingents across the federation are reluctant to return to Delta State next year owing to bad treatment.
In fact, it is not in doubt that Kwara is even capable and ever ready to host the National Youth Games. Kwara State is blessed with a sports-loving governor, His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who has committed huge financial resources to the sports sector than other Governors in Nigeria. Without holding forth for him, Governor AbdulRazaq will be glad to host the National Youth Games.
It is interesting to note that the George Innih Stadium Complex in Ilorin is the only facility in Nigeria where virtually all sporting events can take place, save for a golf tournament that is isolated from the facility. If Kwara hosts next year's National Youth Games, athletes will not have to travel from pillar to post. Kwara sport-loving Governor AbdulRazaq should, in the interest of his administration's commitment to develop the state, bid for the host and wrestle that hosting right from Delta State.
The benefits that are accruable to Kwara hosting the youth games will spur the state to further embark on aggressive grooming and mentoring of young athletes, and this will, in turn, position the state as the hub for sports in Nigeria.
Saheed Abdullahi is the Press Secretary, Kwara State Sports Commission
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