Sports
Sports Minister Bemoans Lack Of Maintenance Of Facilities
Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Sunday Dare, at the weekend said decades of lack of maintenance of 110 sporting facilities across Nigeria made 85 per cent of them to go bad.
He made the disclosure at the inauguration of a mini stadium sited on a former dump site at Oke Aremo area of Oyo town, Oyo State, in honour of the former Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III. The stadium was christened: Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III Mini Stadium.
The facility was facilitated by one of the children of the late monarch, Prince Akeem Adeyemi, currently representing Oyo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Development Association, under the leadership of a retired Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev’d Ayo Ladigbolu, with the assistance of the Federal Ministry of Sports.
According to Dare, “There is a national plan under the Ministry of Youth and Sports to develop grassroots sporting facilities. Apart from this mini stadium commissioned today, there are other mini stadia that have been built and commissioned across the country, especially under the seven and a half years of President Muhammadu Buhari. Today is very significant because of the passion and drive behind it; because of the late Alaafin who wanted this to happen; because of his son Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, who drove that vision and of course by me, who also, and the plans that we have.
“You can see the story of this stadium from a rubbish heap to a stadium and I think it will benefit our youths. Sixty-one per cent of those involved in sports are the youth of this country. Aside football, I am sure other sports will be played here. We hope that we will have about other four mini stadia in different parts of the country in the next seven months, completed and handed over to the communities like we have done today.
“I think there is need to have a facility manager to take care of this stadium’s maintenance because maintenance has been a challenge for us. We have over 110 facilities built by the Federal Government across the country. Based on lack of maintenance over the years and over the decades, more than 85 per cent of them have gone completely bad.
“Under President Muhammadu Buhari, we have seen the return and rehabilitation of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. We have seen that of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, which was abandoned for 19 years. When you go to the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, formerly Liberty Stadium, Oke Ado, Ibadan, it is almost 45 per cent coming back to the steam.
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.