The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, says Nigeria is ready to host the youth of Africa as part of its contributions to the development of the sport in the continent.
The NSC DG said the country is willing to work closely and do more with the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) to promote the sport.
Olopade made this profound statement on Monday during the opening ceremony of the Congress of the CAA at Conference Hotel in Abeokuta, the venue of the 3rd CAA U-18/U-20 Championships.
Olopade explained in his short but powerful opening remarks at the Congress that the Sports Commission has put a dynamic and proactive machinery in place to develop athletics in Nigeria and, by extension, the continent.
The former Ogun State Commissioner stated, “Even before I was named as the DG of the National Sports Commission, I had been managing the biggest marathon event in Africa, the Lagos City Marathon—which underscores my interest and passion for athletics.”
Olopade noted, “To buttress the interest of Ogun State and the country’s love and willingness to do more for athletics and the Confederation of African Athletics, the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, and other top dignitaries, as well as captains of industry, will be meeting with the leadership of the continental athletics body.
The NSC DG, who is also the chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the CAA U-18/U-20 Championships, further stated that the government of Nigeria, led by President Bola Tinubu, is fully committed to giving the African youth a platform and the voice to excel in sport.
In his welcome address, the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, said the state of Ogun, by extension Nigeria, is fully prepared to deliver a memorable championship.
Okowa, who is CAA Region 2 President, said, “It’s indeed an honour to have athletes, officials, and the Media present for this championship,” pointing out that “This gathering offers us the opportunity to examine the journey so far and peer into the future with great hope and optimism.”
He went on to state that, ”Youth in our continent will in the next four days showcase their God-endowed talents, and it is our hope that more talents will be discovered and developed towards competing in future competitions such as the African Championships in Athletics, World Athletics Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Olympic Games.”
Over 700 athletes will be participating in the age-grade competition, slated for July 16-20, 2025.
Those in attendance at the Congress include the president of the Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA), Hamad Kalkaba Malboum; the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Tonobok Okowa; CAA vice presidents Bruno Konga, Derartu Tulu, Jackson Kiprono Tuwei, Amara Khaled, and Zakhele Dlamini; the president of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA), General Dahlan Jumaan Al-Hamad; heads of delegations of all the participating countries; and other key athletics stakeholders in Africa.
