Gateway games 2025 and the marginalization of Ogun West senatorial district

Ogun State will host the National Sports Festival between 16th and 30th May 2025 and preparations are in top gear for the sporting spectacle. In recent times, the National Sports Commission and the Ogun State Ministry of Sports & Youth Development have visited locations around the state to assess the facilities to be used for the competition. The Governor of the state, Mr. Dapo Abiodun is leaving no stone unturned as he prepares to be a great host to the rest of the nation; rehabilitating stadiums, sport complexes, fixing access roads, buying equipment and putting in good form, public utilities needed for the games.

A careful study of these activities, commendable as they are, reveals a disturbing and pathetic trend, now synonymous with the Ogun state body polity. As at the time of putting this opinion together, nothing suggests that any of the activities of the upcoming sports festival will hold in any geographical location in Ogun West senatorial district. Listening to the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Mr. Bukola Olopade, speak few days ago, he informed his audience that the stadia at Ijebu-Ode, the one in Ikenne and Alake Sports centre in Abeokuta, among others – are set for the games. Of course, these are aside other adjunct infrastructure that will be put in place to support athletes, officials, observers and the media.

It is inconceivable that the Ogun State government designed a tournament of this nature and completely excluded a third of the state from the experience. With the benefit of hindsight and also taking up external references, the Dapo Abiodun administration blundered in a brazen manner. Sporting events by any host – be it at national or subnational levels – are meant to achieve a