Follow Us on Google
…As athletes, officials arrive Lagos to a rapturous welcome
By Emma Jemegah
The minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has assured the victorious Team Nigeria that represented Nigeria at the just concluded CAA U-18 and U-20 championships in Ndola, Zambia, of proper grooming and monitoring ahead future competitions as he congratulates the athletes for their wonderful performance at the age grade championship.
While welcoming the athletes to the country, the minister said they have surpassed the performance of the last edition of the competition in Cote D’Ivoire four years ago where Team Nigeria finished third as the current team finished second behind South Africa despite going with lesser athletes.
Team Nigeria was represented by 41 athletes winning 36 medals; 17 gold, 10 silver and nine bronze medals. 80 athletes epresented the country in Adbijan.
“Let me on behalf of the president of Nigeria, Mohamadu Buhari and also our president-elect Bola Tinubu, these two men are fathers, they are lovers of sports and also lovers of youths, so let me congratulate you on their behalf,” the minister said.
“Let me also thank you for doing Nigeria proud, four years ago, we came third and didn’t even get this number of medals, so we are proud of you.
“I must also thank your coaches, the technical team, the performance shows that our grassroots developmental programme is working and who should take the credit, not the ministry, but the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, from the president, Tonobok Okowa, to the board members and the grandfather of athletics, Solomon Ogba.
“I know a lot of sacrifices have gone into the victory by the athletes, the ministry and FG will sit down with the AFN, to see how to keep the team together.
“I am sure some of you will surely go through the qualifiers and qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, before then we have the All Africa Games, the youth games, we need to keep the team together, support the team, keep them in camping and make sure they participate in various competitions.”
The athletes arrived through the Muritala Mohammed International Airport on Saturday afternoon to a rapturous welcome by the members of the Supporters club with singing and dancing.
