Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday hosted athletes who represented the state at the 2024 National Sports Festival, rewarding them with cash prizes and pledging continued support for sports development.
The athletes, who won a total of 29 medals, six gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze at the festival held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, were presented with certificates of recognition and monetary rewards during a reception at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Ilorin.
Gold medalists received N1 million each, silver medalists got N500,000 and bronze medalists went home with N300,000.
Their coaches also received unspecified cash rewards.
“For us, these athletes are our heroes and heroines in their own right,” AbdulRazaq said.
“With six gold, 11 silver, and 12 bronze medals, these athletes have made us proud.”
In a surprise announcement, the governor said his administration had cleared a 16-year backlog of sign-on fees owed to players and coaches of Kwara United Football Club.
The unpaid amount totaled N201 million.
“Today, I’m glad to announce the full payment of the outstanding N201m sign-on fee for Kwara United coaches and players,” the governor said, calling it a demonstration of his commitment to the welfare of athletes.
The reception was attended by key figures in the state’s sports community, including chairman of the Kwara State sports commission Bola Magaji, director of sports Ibrahim Bako, former commissioner and Olympian Hameed Adio and chairman of the sports writers association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kwara Chapter, Ismail Ayodeji.
Mr Magaji attributed the athletes’ success to the government’s investment in sporting infrastructure and welfare.
Mr Adio applauded the governor for promoting sports alongside education, while Ayodeji urged the administration to ensure that Kwara United plays its home matches in Ilorin during the African Confederation Cup, saying the move would boost morale and stimulate the local economy.
Governor AbdulRazaq also listed several ongoing and completed sports projects under his administration, including a new indoor sports hall, Olympic-size swimming pool, squash courts and table tennis facilities, some of which he claimed were unique on the continent.
The event highlighted the administration’s efforts to position Kwara as a hub for sports development in Nigeria.
