Sports
‘Nigeria Struggles To Handle Talents’
Bahraini athlete, Abbas Abubakar Abbas was just 16 years old when he was scouted to swap allegiances from Nigeria, the country of his birth.
Now he is one of four Nigeria-born sprinters recruited on unique security force salary schemes who are targeting 4x400m mixed relay gold for Bahrain at next year’s postponed Olympics.
The 24-year-old, who won bronze at last year’s World Athletics Championships in the mixed relay event, has no regrets about his swap.
“In Nigeria we have many talents but we don’t know how to handle them,” he told Tidesports source.
“Of all the athletes I used to run with, I only know one in Nigeria who is still in the sport [Orukpe Erayokan]. The difference in Bahrain is the support.”
Erayokan was in demand himself in 2012 when he had just beaten Abbas at Nigeria’s National Sports Festival.
“The official for Bahrain came to my coach, but I didn’t have a phone at the time, so I didn’t know anything about it until a year later,” says Nigeria’s former national 400m champion.
“Sometimes I cry, because I know, I wish, I would have followed. In Nigeria, I often struggled to pay for the restroom after training.”
He is now attempting to keep his career on track in the UK after competing for Nigeria at the Rio Olympics,
Unlike Erayokan the young Abbas and his family talked to the officials from Bahrain after competing at the festival which is Nigeria’s premier athletics meet.
Abbas’s father was persuaded that a prodigious talent like his son’s would be wasted in Nigeria as he was given a brand new pair of running spikes and told about the kind of life awaiting for him in Bahrain.
“My father asked, ‘what about his career after sport?’ They [the representatives] said ‘Don’t worry, he will never regret it. When you finish running you can say, ‘I’m ready to go to the army’,” Abbas told our source.
“Most of the athletes from other countries here have two salaries. You have a choice: some are army; some are police. Most athletes are youths when they come to Bahrain.
“If you are running good you can make a lot of money from the federation. Even if you don’t, the money will be enough to take care of you, your family, even some people you know.”
Abbas insists he ‘always wanted to be a soldier’ and the money he has earned since moving to Bahrain has enabled his father to quit his job working for an electricity company.
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.