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Tag 2020 NSF

  • Feb, Thu, 2020
Sport

We will camp you for NSF at our own time, deputy governor tells Edo athletes

Protest
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Feb. 20, 2020 (NAN) The Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has assured that athletes of Team Edo would be camped for the upcoming 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) when the state government was ready.

Shaibu gave the assurance on Thursday while addressing some of the athletes who protested in front of the Edo Government House in Benin about late camping and payment of allowances.

“If we have not defaulted in paying you in any tournament you have participated, is it now that we are hosting that we will default?

“We have made up our mind on what to do, and you have to act in line with that. We want you to be of good discipline and that is key in the effort to win medals for us,’’ he said.

The deputy governor reminded the athletes of similar incidents in the past and the effects they had on their performance, saying they should be comfortable with past efforts by the state government.

“You remember that during the 19th NSF in Abuja, I spoke to you guys like this. I appealed to you all, assured you that your allowances will be paid, but your delay in listening to me caused us three gold medals.

“The era of your allowances being paid to coaches is gone. We are going to use the same template as it was during the last festival, where money was paid directly into athletes’ accounts.’’

On the issue of closed camping for the athletes, the deputy governor assured that the actual period of camping of athletes would be strictly adhered to.

“You will go into camp at our own time, and we will communicate this to you, as well as what you will get when you win a medal. We will tell you what you are getting for winning and for participating,’’ he said.

Shaibu, however, warned that athletes should not allow themselves to be used by those he described as dishonest people.

“They want your allowances to be paid to them and not directly to you,’’ he said.

The spokesperson for the protesting athletes, Friday Aigbagben, assured the deputy governor that they were not sponsored to protest.

“We are only interested in knowing the number of days we will spend in camp, and what are our allowances during the camping period and during the festival.

“Also, we want to know what our reward is at the end of the event. Those are the things that brought us here,’’ he said.(NAN)
AJOM/ERO/OLAL
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara and Olawale Alabi)

Uncategorized

2020 NSF Zonal Prelims: Onyedimma says Team FCT prepared to excel in Ilorin

Qualifiers
By Muhyideen Jimoh
Abuja, Jan. 16, 2020 (NAN) The FCT Sports Department’s Director, Dilichukwu Onyedimma, on Thursday in Abuja said Team FCT was prepared to pick several North Central zonal tickets to the upcoming 20th National Sports Festival (NSF).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that teams from seven North Central states will on Monday begin to battle in eight team sports for tickets to the festival.

Teams from FCT, Nasarawa State, Plateau, Kogi, Benue, Niger and host Kwara will compete for tickets to the 2020 NSF’s football, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, hockey, rugby and cricket events.

Onyedimma told NAN that the department had concluded preparations for a good outing for both its male and female teams in the four sports it registered for.

FCT are the defending champions in football, basketball and beach volleyball, having won gold medals in the last NSF held in Abuja in 2018.

It will now compete in the zonal qualifiers for these sports and handball at the North Central Zonal Prelims in Ilorin.

“We are confident of picking the qualification tickets in all the four games registered for, because of our comparative advantage.”

“All our athletes have been in an open camp since last year and we are good to go,” she said.

The Head of FCT Football Association’s Technical Committee, Samuel Abimbola, also expressed optimism about the prospects of the football team and other teams at the zonal playoffs.

He said the football team had played series of friendly matches to finetune their strategies for the task ahead.

NAN reports that FCT finished seventh on the medals table at the 19th NSF in Abuja in 2018 with 21 gold, nine silver and 24 bronze medals.

Delta had won the 19th NSF by finishing first with 163 gold, 88 silver and 101 bronze medals, while Rivers were second with 69 gold, 58 silver and 57 bronze.

Edo who are hosts of the 2020 edition scheduled for March in Benin finished third with 47 gold, 41 silver and 53 bronze.(NAN)
MUYI/JPE/OLAL
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(Edited by Joseph Edeh and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

2020 NSF: Edo to unveil festival mascot, theme song Oct. 17

Unveiling
By Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Benin, Oct. 9, 2019 (NAN) The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) on Wednesday in Benin said it would unveil the festival’s mascot and theme song on Oct.17.

Tony Akiotu, spokesman of the LOC, while announcing this after the committee’s meeting in Benin, said the song and the mascot were selected from the 77 entries received by the LOC.

He said also that the national unveiling of the song and mascot would take place in Lagos on Oct. 28.

“While the unveiling in Benin will not be with a big ceremony, that of Lagos will be organised alongside the launch of the fund-raising for the games,’’ Akiotu said.

He added that the fund-raising was to enable Edo host a very successful NSF in 2020.

Akiotu disclosed that plans were underway for a very wide coverage of the festival.

“Super Sports will beam the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival live, while other local television stations will hook up to it throughout the duration of the competition.

“As part of the publicity for the festival, billboards will be hosted in major airports in the six geo-political zones of the country.

“Edo is not just hosting for the fun of it, we are hosting an event that will be historic. We are hosting to raise the standard and organisation of the games,” he said.

The LOC spokesman said the festival’s organisers would also ensure they used the event to showcase five icons of the festival from Edo.

“We will showcase our icons, such as Maria Osifo and Isaac Ikhuoria, among others.’’

Akiotu added that nine venues, including the renovated Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, would play host to 33 sports competitions during the festival.

He said the University of Benin and the Benin Technical College had been chosen to serve as the Games Village.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NSF 2020, which will hold from March 22 to April 1, will be the third NSF the state will be hosting.

The old Bendel State had hosted the 1981 edition, while Edo State had in 2002 hosted the event also.(NAN)
ESI/JI/OLAL
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(Edited by Joe Idika and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

NSF 2020: Committee lauds Gov. Obaseki’s efforts towards successful festival

Festival

By Monday Ajogun

Benin, July 10, 2019 (NAN) The Joint Technical Committee of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) on Wednesday in Benin lauded Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo for steps taken so far to ensure a successful festival.

The committee gave the commendation in a communique signed by Hauwa Kulu- Akinyemi, Director, Federations and Elite Athletes Department, at the end of the first joint technical meeting for Benin 2020.

“We express our appreciation to Gov. Obaseki and the good people of Edo State for their warm reception, hospitality and support towards hosting the first joint technical meeting of the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF).

“We urge the state government to inaugurate a Local Organising Committee (LOC) that will drive the hosting of the games.

“We also advise Edo government to provide a poly clinic and doping station at the games village as well as medical stands and doping stations at all sports venues during the competition.

“The state government should consider accommodating requests from the national sports federations for specific inspection visits,’’ the joint technical committee said.

The committee urged Obaseki to intensify efforts to ensure the timely completion of all ongoing construction, renovation and face-lift projects in all venues and facilities earmarked for the festival.

Earlier, Olusade Adesola, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, had said the committee did not intend to over-stretch the resources of Edo government.

“We are not oblivious to the economic situation in the country and the huge financial requirement of hosting a games of this magnitude,’’ he said.

Adesola, however, said minimal standards must be adhered to in the organisation of the festival to maintain its integrity and quality.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the joint technical committee consists of Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, state Directors of Sports and Technical Directors of National Sports Federations.(NAN)
AJOM/OIF/EMO
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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Ejike Obeta

Sport

NSF 2020: UNIBEN appeals to Edo govt for renovation of facilities to host athletes, officials

Facilities
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, July 9, 2019 (NAN) Authorities of University of Benin on Tuesday urged the Edo Government to help in the renovation of some of its sports facilities.

The institution’s Dean of Students Affairs, Osaretin Aigbovo, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen shortly after an inspection of some of the facilities.

He had just conducted delegates to a technical meeting on the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) round some of the institution’s hostels.

Aigbovo said such assistance will help to provide accommodation for athletes and officials during the period of the NSF billed for Benin in April.

“The school management will meet to arrange the institution’s academic calendar to correspond with the time of the competition.

“The students will return to school immediately after the competition,” he said.(NAN)
AJOM/KOLE/OLAL
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(Edited by Remi Koleoso and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

2020 NSF: Youths and Sports Ministry picks March 20 to April 6 dates

Sports
By Monday Ajogun/Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Benin, March 13, 2019 (NAN) The Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports on Wednesday said it has fixed March 20 to April 6 in 2020 for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) scheduled for Benin.

The Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, who announced the dates said the festival’s opening ceremony would hold on March 22.

“The closing ceremony is fixed for April 2,’’ Dalung, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, said during the extraordinary meeting of the National
Council on Sports (NCS) in Benin.

He thanked Gov. Godwin Obaseki for taking steps to ensure that facilities were upgraded and renovated ahead of the festival.

The minister said he was pleased with the report he got from the Directors of Sports’ Forum, whose members were on tour of sports facilities in Benin.(NAN)
AJOM/ESI/GOM/OLAL
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(Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Edo has capacity to host successful 20th NSF, Gov. Obaseki assures

Capacity
Abuja, Dec. 16, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Sunday assured Nigerians that the state has what it takes to stage a successful 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) in 2020.

Obaseki gave the assurance while answering questions from journalists on the sidelines of the Closing Ceremony of the 19th NSF at the Abuja National Stadium.

“We have been embarking on massive rehabilitation of our sports facilities and I can only assure Nigerians that Edo has the capacity to successfully host the next NSF.

“Our bid was the strongest for the 2020 NSF. Now that we have won the rights to host the 20th NSF in 2020, I assure all that sports ranks very high in the priority list of our administration.

“The Deputy Governor of the state is directly responsible for sports. He supervises our Sports Commission.

“We have just set up an independent sports commission. I don’t believe that any state has the kind of attention we accord sports at the governance and technical levels,” Obaseki said.

The News Agency if Nigeria (NAN) reports that Edo was given the green light to host the event ahead of three other states which tabled bids to host the event.

The other states are Cross River, Delta and Imo.

Obaseki also thanked the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, for reviving the festival.

“We congratulate the Minister of Sports, who brought back this symbolic event. I think it’s a great thing for Nigerian youths, a great thing for our sports and a great thing for our country,” he said.

Team Edo finished third behind Delta and Rivers on the overall medals table at the 19th NSF, with 47 gold, 41 silver and 53 bronze medals.

However, the governor believed that his state were the runaway winners of the festival.

“If you look at the medals table, we finished third. But if you look at the chart based on the state of origin of individual athletes, Edo won.

“As a state, we know that many of our indigenous athletes were poached by other states. That tells you that Edo is the home of sports in Nigeria,” the governor said.

The 19th NSF, which kicked off on Dec. 6, came to a close on Sunday at the Abuja National Stadium.(NAN)
KIA/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

Edo has capacity to host 2020 National Sports Festival, Gov. Obaseki says

Hosting
By Monday Ajogun
Abuja, Dec. 6, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Thursday said his state would be bidding for the hosting rights as it has the capacity to host the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF).

Obaseki, while speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 19th NSF in Abuja, said: “My state is more than ready to host the forthcoming festival without encountering any form of challenges.

“It’s high time we regain our lost glory in terms of sports as the state is known for producing great sports men and women.’’

He charged the state’s athletes participating in the ongoing 19th NSF to ensure they do the state proud by winning medals.

Speaking also, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, said his ministry had received two applications from Edo and one other state.

Dalung said his ministry would look at infrastructure before giving the right to the most qualified state.

He said sports and the National Youths Service Corps are ways of uniting the nation, adding that government should ensure that priority were given to these sectors.(NAN)
AJOM/FF/OLAL
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(Edited by Fela Fashoro and Olawale Alabi)