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OGUN, Nigeria - The Ogun State Government has labeled the protest held by athletes representing the state at the 22nd National Sports Festival on Monday as an act of impatience, as they had already made arrangements to pay the athletes' allowances.
Some athletes expressing their dissatisfaction over unpaid allowances staged the protest at the games village in Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, blocking the facility's gates and causing delays for other participants for several hours.
The demonstration began as early as 5:30 am and ended around 12:43 pm after the athletes confirmed they had received a portion of the owed funds. In response, the state government expressed regret over the protest, noting it delayed all scheduled events for Wednesday, except for the marathon.
Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, conveyed disappointment, emphasizing that the protest contradicted the state's values and objectives.
"Governor Dapo Abiodun is highly aware of and dedicated to the welfare of all festival participants.
He would never permit Ogun athletes to be neglected or suffer," Akinmade stated.
"The protest by a minority of athletes is not only regrettable but also unjustified, especially in light of the significant success the state has achieved in hosting the festival from the grand opening ceremony to Team Ogun's impressive performance," the statement read.
"Those who protested acted wrongly; it was a case of impatience," he concluded.
Meanwhile, the athletes reported receiving N50,000, as per the promise from Governor Dapo Abiodun, in addition to an extra N140,000 as their festival allowance.
However, the athletes maintained that the agreed allowance was N210,000, based on N15,000 per day for 14 days.
The 2024 National Sports Festival will conclude today, with a closing ceremony scheduled at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta.
This marks the second time Ogun State has hosted the NSF, the first being in 2006. Currently, the hosts rank third on the medals table, boasting 53 gold, 44 silver, and 52 bronze medals.
