The Ogun State Government has criticised some of its athletes who protested over unpaid allowances at the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival, calling their actions “a show of impatience.”
The protest took place on Monday at the games village in Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, where the athletes blocked the entrance gates as early as 5:30 a.m. This caused disruption for other participants and delayed several events scheduled for the day.
The athletes said they had not received the full allowance promised by the state government and demanded their payment before continuing with the festival. The gates were later reopened around 12:43 p.m. after some of the athletes confirmed they had started receiving part of the money.
Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said the protest was disappointing, especially since the government had already made arrangements to pay the athletes.
“The protest by a few athletes is not only unfortunate but also uncalled for. It stands in stark contrast to the immense success the state has recorded in hosting the festival — from the grand opening ceremony to the impressive performance of Team Ogun,” Akinmade said in a statement.
“Governor Dapo Abiodun remains deeply sensitive and committed to the welfare of all participants at the festival. There is no circumstance under which he would allow Ogun athletes to suffer or be neglected,” he added.
He described the protest as “a clear case of impatience” and urged the athletes to recognise the efforts made by the government.
Some of the athletes later confirmed that they received N50,000 from the governor, as earlier promised, along with an additional N140,000 as part of their festival allowance.
However, they said the total amount promised was N210,000, which was based on N15,000 per day for 14 days. Many insisted that they should be paid in full.
“This is not just about money; it’s about respect. We’ve worked hard and deserve to be treated fairly,” one of the athletes told reporters.
The 2024 National Sports Festival is expected to close today (Thursday) with a ceremony at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta.
Ogun State, which is hosting the festival for the second time since 2006, is currently third on the medals table with 53 gold, 44 silver, and 52 bronze medals.
