With just days to go before over 10,000 athletes from across Nigeria descend on Ogun State for the 22nd National Sports Festival—officially titled Gateway Games 2024—a wave of anticipation and preparation is sweeping through major towns.
From bustling Abeokuta to the quieter communities of Ipokia and Ogbere, the upcoming festival is generating widespread enthusiasm, accompanied by cautious curiosity about how events will unfold.
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PREMIUM TIMES took to the roads to gauge local sentiments on Ogun’s preparedness to host one of Nigeria’s largest sporting events.
A tour around the state shows a landscape undergoing transformation—both physically and emotionally—into a promising host for Nigeria’s biggest sporting event.
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While many residents have embraced the buzz and are eager to tap into the benefits that come with hosting an event of this scale, others say they’ve been left in the “dark”.
Stadiums shine, streets glow but more still needed
In Abeokuta, where much of the action will take place, key venues like the recently renamed M.K.O Abiola Sports Complex have undergone significant upgrades. New solar-powered streetlights brighten the city’s nights, and roads leading to stadiums have been cleaned and refurbished.
“The town is looking more lovely, especially at night. You can feel something is coming,” Bade Samuel an Abeokuta resident told PREMIUM TIMES.
According to Mr Bade who is also a Psychologist, most of his awareness about the festival has come through social media.
“I’ve seen a couple of adverts on TikTok. People have gone to the stadium to take videos. Even Olumo Rock and the Alaake Sports Centre have been featured,” he said, adding that official government communication should be intensified.
He stressed the importance of crowd-friendly security and hospitality during the Festival as well.
“Security personnel must understand that fans are not animals. They should be nice. That alone can define people’s festival experience.”
Despite the visible upgrades, not all communities feel connected to the preparations.
In Ogbere, a school teacher Joseph Tade was surprised to learn about the festival.
“This is the first time I’m hearing of such. Really? Gateway Games 2024? If this is happening in Ogun State and we in Ogbere don’t know, then I don’t know what to say,” he remarked.
“We haven’t been carried along at all,”
While the claim by Mr Tade is worrisome, many still believe the festival has the potential to engage even the most remote parts of the state if outreach efforts are sustained in the coming days.
Business as usual in Ijebu-Ode and environs
In Ijebu-Imusin, Ijebu-Ode, Mike Adetoun noticed the festival’s promotion through billboards but said the city which has been confirmed to host the Hockey games, hadn’t stirred any visible economic buzz; at least not yet.
“I’ve seen the billboards, yes. But I’m not really aware if it’s going to change anything. Everything still looks pretty normal.”
Like many others, he hopes the festival will bring a boost to commercial activities, especially in towns and cities around the sporting venues.
Photo: The pitch
“A boost to commercial activities in Ogun State, especially at towns and cities around designated venues is my expectations ahead of the Festival.”
Concern in Ipokia
Tade Aremu, a farmer and resident of Ipokia, didn’t mince words as he alleged the region hasn’t been “carried along” in the buildup to what is arguably the biggest event on the country’s sporting calendar.
“We are all supposed to be stakeholders as citizens of this state. But we don’t even have a clue about what’s happening right under our noses.”
Mr Aremu expressed frustration that despite heavy publicity in some areas, entire regions like his remained in the dark.
Officials respond
Addressing concerns around awareness particularly in the hinterlands, Kunle Solaja, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-Committee for the festival, assured that publicity is actively ongoing.
“The publicity is going on. The jingles have been sent out by the agency appointed by the state government. They are running on television and radio stations, and adverts are also placed in national newspapers,” he said.
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He emphasised that the Gateway Games 2024 would be “one of the best National Sports Festivals ever hosted in Nigeria.”
Governor Dapo Abiodun echoed that sentiment, pledging adequate security and a world-class experience from 16 to 30 May.
Looking beyond the Games
More than a sporting spectacle, the festival is being positioned as a springboard for local talent and economic growth.
Governor Abiodun reaffirmed the state’s commitment to youth and sports development:
“We have invested wholeheartedly in the preparations for the forthcoming Gateway Games. For us, this event represents far more than just another National Sports Festival, it is a bold step toward building a thriving sports economy in Ogun State,” the Governor said at a recent press briefing.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter where sports will no longer be just about competition, but about opportunity, development, and economic growth.
“As hosts, we are committed to setting a new benchmark for how sports festivals are delivered in Nigeria. Our goal is not only to inspire but also to position Ogun State as a hub for athletic excellence and innovation in the sports sector.”
He also proudly announced that Ogun will host the Under-18 and Under-20 African Athletics Championships in July—a testament to the state’s rising profile on the continental stage.
With thousands of athletes arriving soon, Gateway Games 2024 offers Ogun State a rare opportunity: to showcase its capacity, foster unity, and ignite lasting economic and social impact across all its communities.
