Sports
Brazil 2016: Nigeria To Groom ECOWAS Games’ Athletes
The National Sports Commission (NSC) will focus on grooming its athletes who perform well at the on-going ECOWAS Games, for the 2016 Olympic Games, Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi has said.
Abdullahi, who made the promise early in the week while addressing Nigerian athletes at the Games holding in Accra, Ghana, said he was impressed by their performances.
Nigeria is taking part in the second edition of the Games, which began last weekend and will end today.
Already, the Nigerian contingent of 43 athletes and 30 officials had as at Monday evening won 10 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals to upstage hosts Ghana that initially topped the medals table.
“We believe that even if you can’t be part of the athletes that will compete for Nigeria in London at the Summer Olympic Games in July, we can begin to hope that at the next Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016, champions will emerge from amongst you here,’’ Abdullahi said.
The minister, who is also the NSC Chairman, said the commission was going to take note of all the athletes who competed in Ghana and give them motivational support.
“We are going to continue to support you, and continue to give you all the necessary exposure,” he said.
Abdullahi, who arrived at the Games on Monday, also said he was going to inform President Goodluck Jonathan of the athletes’ performances for appropriate reward.
“For now, we are very proud of what we have achieved and I will convey this to Mr President; and I can assure you that you will be adequately rewarded at the appropriate time,’’ he said.
The athletes won the six gold, three silver and one bronze medals in track and field events at the El-Wak Stadium in the presence of the minister.
Team Nigeria had trailed the hosts from Day One last Saturday, and had slipped further down on Monday morning when it lost out in the team event of traditional wrestling.
But a scintillating performance later in the day in athletics events helped Nigeria to move to the summit of the medals table.
The minister urged the athletes to do more to ensure that the country led the medals table at the end of the Games.
“I am very excited to see the performances that most of you posted since I got here and I can tell you that Nigeria is indeed the leader in West Africa.
“You have to maintain the tempo till the end of the game, as the country will settle for nothing less than winning the Games.
“This is the West African Games, and there shouldn’t be any doubt about who the leader in West Africa should be,’’ he said.
Abdullahi also pledged his support for the growth of athletics, saying that “he is not a minister of Football but a minister of sports’’.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.