NSF Chaos: Ogun Athletes Ground Games Village Over Unpaid Allowances

ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE – The 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged “Gateway Games 2024,” was thrown into disarray this morning as athletes representing host state Ogun staged a massive protest over unpaid allowances, effectively shutting down activities at the Babcock University Games Village in Ilishan-Remo. The demonstration, which began in the early hours of Wednesday, May 28, 2025, left contingents from other states stranded and caused significant disruptions to the day’s scheduled events.

Aggrieved Team Ogun athletes blocked the main entrance to the Games Village, preventing buses from transporting competitors to various venues across Abeokuta, including the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Kuto and the Alake Sports Centre in Ijeja. The protest, which eyewitnesses described as peaceful but resolute, saw athletes chanting demands for immediate payment of allowances promised by the Ogun State Government before the festival’s commencement.

Sources within the protesting group, who requested anonymity, revealed that internal efforts to resolve the financial dispute had failed, culminating in the early morning action. “Team Ogun officials met us yesterday, and another emergency meeting was held around 5 am today, but nothing concrete came out of it,” one athlete lamented.

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The impact of the protest was immediate and widespread. Early morning events, including a scheduled handball match at the Alake Sports Centre, were unable to proceed as planned, forcing postponements and creating a logistical nightmare for festival organizers. The 22nd National Sports Festival officially kicked off on May 16 and is slated to conclude on May 30, 2025.

This embarrassing turn of events has drawn sharp criticism, particularly given Ogun State’s role as the host. A coach from a visiting state, who also declined to be named, expressed dismay, stating, “This is embarrassing for a host state. The government should have sorted this out before the opening ceremony.”

Prior to the festival, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun had publicly pledged substantial cash rewards for medal winners: N2.5 million for each gold, N1.5 million for silver, and N1 million for bronze. While these incentives are typically paid post-festival, the current protest centers on other outstanding allowances.

As of press time, efforts to reach Ogun State sports officials, including the Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, have been unsuccessful. The presence of the Assistant Ogun State Commissioner of Police, ACP Alabi Akintoye, at the Games Village attempting to persuade the athletes to disperse, proved futile, with protestors insisting on direct engagement from the Governor or relevant officials. The standoff has led to a significant beef-up of security at the Babcock University campus, the main hub of the festival, and all festival proceedings remain paused.

The athletes’ unwavering determination highlights growing concerns over athlete welfare and administrative accountability within the sporting community, even as Ogun State currently stands third on the medals table with an impressive haul of 48 gold, 38 silver, and 47 bronze medals. The resolution of this impasse is crucial to prevent further disruptions to the “Gateway Games 2024.”