Athletes representing Ogun State at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) have organized a protest over their unpaid allowances.
The athletes recently blocked the main entrance to the Games Village at Babcock University to air their grievances.
The demonstration, which began early Wednesday morning, left several athletes from other states stranded, particularly those who were scheduled to partake in morning events. A lot of them couldn’t leave the Games Village in time to get to their competition venues, an inconvenient reality that affected the sports festival’s logistics.
Eyewitnesses have come out to say that while the protest was organized, protesters were extremely passionate while demanding quick intervention from the Ogun State Government.
The athletes accused officials of going back on the financial promise made to the team before the Gateway Games 2024 started. One of the disappointed athlete said that their disappointment has actually been growing for several days amid the lack of action to process the payment owed.
“Yesterday, Team Ogun officials called for an emergency meeting in front of the Queen Esther Hostel, where many of us are lodged. Another meeting was also held this morning around 5 a.m., but no resolution was reached. That’s when things escalated,” the athlete said.
Ogun State is hosting the 2025 National Sports Festival, and this latest development has raised questions about the host state’s readiness and commitment to the welfare of its athletes.
With the sporting schedules affected at the festival and the overwhelming frustration among participants, there are increasing calls for top Ogun State officials to intervene and end the ongoing crisis to prevent further escalation.
