The Ogun State Government has honored outstanding athletes who represented the state in the National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, with over seven million naira in motivation, reaffirming its commitment to sports development.
Abiodun provided the guarantee on Wednesday when presenting the athletes with their cheques, reiterating the organization’s commitment to guiding them to great success.
The gold medalists received a cheque for N300,000, the silver medalists received N200,000, and the bronze medalists received N100,000, while the immediate past Director of Sports, Mrs Oluwatoyin Alade, received N500,000 in honor of her dedication to the development of young athletes.
Governor Abiodun, who was represented by Commissioner of Sports Wasiu Isiaka, attributed the success of the games and other tournaments to his administration’s determination to return sports to the grassroots level.
He said, “Your outstanding performances have not only brought glory to our state but have also earned you invitations to the national camp for the Commonwealth Games next year. This is a phenomenal opportunity for our athletes and we are excited to see what the future holds for you.”
“Our gold medalists will participate in the upcoming National Sports Festival under a special arrangement that will be unveiled soon. This is just one of the many ways we aim to support and promote our athletes on a national stage”, Abiodun said.
The Governor stated that his administration plans to use the National Sports Festival to create a solid foundation for sports in the state, particularly school and grassroots sports, and that this is one of the reasons the government is renovating stadiums throughout the state.
Responding on behalf of the medalists, Ayomide Heritage, the best wrestler in the 42kg category at the Youth Games, thanked the State Governor for the generous gesture, noting that the financial reward would go a long way toward advancing their careers and promising to work hard and make the state proud in future National and International competitions.
