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Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a top figure in the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has joined many Nigerians in mourning the death of 20 young athletes from Kano State who died in a tragic road accident.
The athletes were on their way home from the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State when the bus they travelled in crashed off the Dakatsalle Bridge in the Kura Local Government Area of Kano.
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The accident happened on Saturday, leaving the state and the country’s sports community in deep sadness.
In a condolence message to Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the victims’ families, Mr Ajadi said he was heartbroken by the news.
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“My heart bleeds for the young and promising athletes whose lives were cut short in such a painful and untimely manner,” Mr Ajadi said.
“These were not just sportsmen and women—they were symbols of hope, discipline, and national unity. Their death is a monumental loss to our country.”
Mr Ajadi, who ran for governor under the NNPP in Ogun State during the 2023 elections, is known for supporting young people and helping his community.
He used the moment to call on the federal and state governments to fix bad roads across Nigeria, warning that more lives will be lost if nothing is done.
“We cannot continue to lose our best and brightest on roads that should have been fixed decades ago. This is a wake-up call. The Dakatsalle Bridge, like many other neglected structures across the country, is a death trap. We need action, not just words,” he added.
He also spoke about the poor transport system for Nigerian athletes and said the country should follow the example of more developed countries that provide better support for their sportsmen and women.
“This ugly and avoidable incident could have been averted if good amenities and a conducive environment were provided for our talents. Our talents deserve good mobility like flights, which is the standard mobility that governments of developed countries provide for their athletes,” he said.
Mr Ajadi called for the athletes to be honoured for their service to the country and not be forgotten.
“These young athletes should be acknowledged as heroes and heroines who died in the service of the nation. They are martyrs of Nigerian sport and unity,” he stated. “The federal government, alongside Ogun and Kano State governments, should provide for the families of the deceased and ensure that posthumous honours are awarded to them.”
According to people who saw the accident, the bus crashed after the driver lost control near the old and narrow bridge, which many locals say has long been unsafe. Emergency workers and residents helped rescue survivors, who are now receiving treatment at Kura General Hospital.
Mr Ajadi described the fallen athletes as young people who represented peace and excellence.
“Their sacrifice must not be in vain. Let us honour their memory not only with mourning but with reforms—real, sustainable reforms in the areas of athlete welfare, road safety, and national infrastructure,” he emphasised.
READ ALSO: 19 die in fatal accident as Kano team returns from National Sports Festival
He also asked that future sports events in Nigeria include a national moment of silence in their memory. He urged the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, sports leaders, and politicians to go beyond words and truly support the grieving families.
As mourning banners are hung across Kano’s sports centres and tears continue to fall, many are calling for justice and lasting change.
For now, a state grieves, families are in pain, and the country reflects—hoping this loss brings long-needed reform.
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