The National Sports Commission (NSC) has confirmed that Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will officially flag off the Unity Torch movement at a ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Commission described the Unity Torch as a symbol of peace and unity, emphasizing its significance in fostering national cohesion.

 “The Unity Torch, which symbolizes peace and unity, will be taken around the capitals of all states of the Federation to herald the National Sports Festival and transmit the message of peace and brotherhood among the people of Nigeria,” the official communication stated.

The Festival, which is Nigeria’s premier multi-sport event, will bring together athletes from across the country to compete in various sporting disciplines, promoting talent discovery, unity, and sportsmanship.

Recall that across the nation, zonal eliminations took place a few weeks ago, as State contingents jostled for slots to compete at the main event in May.

The NSC has confirmed that the 22nd National Sports Festival (Gateways Games, Ogun 2024) will be held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, from May 16 to 30, 2025.

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BY DUKU JOEL, DAMATURU

The Northeast Zonal Team Sports Competition has commenced in Damaturu, Yobe State, as part of preparations for the final selection of athletes for this year’s National Sports Festival holding in May in Ogun State.

Declaring the event open, Governor Mai Mala Buni urged all athletes to compete fairly, assuring them that the state has taken all necessary measures to ensure a smooth and successful tournament.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed M. Balumi, Governor Buni emphasized his administration’s commitment to the development and welfare of athletes.

He also encouraged participants to embrace the hospitality of Yobe State while assuring them of their safety throughout the competition.

The Zonal Coordinator of Sports at the National Sports Commission, Okey Emmanuel, described the event as Nigeria’s equivalent of the Olympics, underscoring the importance of selecting only the best athletes for the festival.

“This competition is like Nigeria’s Olympics, and only the best of the best will be selected. I urge all athletes to play by the rules and make their respective states proud,” he stated.

The zonal elimination tournament, which will run for four days, features athletes from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states.

He commended the Yobe State Government for hosting the event while urging journalists to uphold the ethics of the profession.

The team games featuring in the zonal elimination are football, hockey, volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, handball, cricket and Abula.

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The Leadership of the National Sports Commission, NSC, will be busy across various centres supervising and monitoring proceedings as the Zonal elimination for Team Sports for the 22nd National Sports Festival takes centre stage this week.

States will be jostling to secure spots at the different zonal centres that Include; Ibadan, Benin, Enugu, Kaduna, Plateau and Yobe state for various Team Sports at the 22nd National Sports Festival coming up in Ogun State.

The Zonal elimination will mark another bold step in preparation towards the successful organisation of the Festival billed for May this year in the Gateway State.

The NSC leadership is determined to ensure there is hitch-free zonal elimination across the various centres and to this end, the Chairman and the Director General of the Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon Bukola Olopade, have decided to visit some of the centres.

The NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko will be at the Kaduna Centre while the Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade will be at the Ibadan Centre, as their presence also emphasises the new commitment of the current leadership of the Sports Commission.

The Chairman of the NSC Mallam Shehu Dikko said the zonal elimination is as important as the Festival itself, therefore outlining the determination to have a very successful competition across the various centres.

” We are determined to do things differently with a touch of global best practices and this is why we are putting utmost seriousness to the zonal eliminations this time around “.

The Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade in a similar vein said the Commission has provided all the needed logistics through the Department of Sports Festival and Grassroots Development, for all the zones to host a successful qualification.”

 The Gateway Games in Ogun state will go down as one of the best-organised Games in the festival history and for this to be achieved, we must have one of the best organised Zonal eliminations”, he stated.

Team Sports that are featured in the Zonal elimination phase Included Football, Volleyball, Basketball, hockey, cricket, beach volleyball, Ambulance and Handball.

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