Sports minister insists Sports Festival must be held in April, eyes Tokyo Olympics medals

SPORTS minister Sunday Dare is keen on ensuring that the National Sports Festival is held in April.

After three postponements since its initial March 2020 date, the festival was recently fixed for 2 April to 14 April 2021, and Dare has vowed to do everything within his power to avoid another postponement.

While speaking at the Federal University of Technology, Akure over the weekend, the minister assured that discussions, negotiations and preparations are ongoing  to ensure that the festival takes place in Benin City in April.

“It is my greatest desire that the National Sports Festival holds this year in the interest of Nigeria sports development,” Dare said.

“It is going to be a great factor that will determine our performance at the Olympic Games in July. 

“We seek the cooperation of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, the Edo State government, the Health Ministry and the NCDC in making this dream a reality.

“We hope and pray that nothing will shift  the festival from April as planned.”

Dare commended the young Nigerian athletes who set new personal records at the evaluation programme  of the Atheletics Federation of Nigeria and urged them to emulate the likes of Chioma Ajunwa, Blessing Okagbare and Falilat Ogunkoya by winning medals at the Tokyo Olympics.

“The performance of the young athletes gives me great hope of a bright future,” he added.

“We will support them to sustain the tempo so that they can reach their peak at the Olympics and win medals for our country.”