By Emma Jemegah
Ogun State governor, Sen. Dapo Abiodun has described the hosting of the just concluded National Sports Festival tagged ‘Gateway Games 2024’ as a precursor to growing the economy of the state as well as empowering the youth.
The governor who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital, disclosed that the state put its foot forward to host the festival following the Delta National Sports Festival and was accorded the right.
He disclosed that it should have been the 26th National Sports Festival but for the fact that the event did not hold in some years.
The governor said: “Ogun State is a very unique state, a state that cannot be compared to other states. We are the gateway to Nigeria’s prosperity. We are the only neighbours that Lagos State has.
“We are the closest to the financial capital of Nigeria. This comparative advantage means you can’t go from Lagos to any other part of Nigeria either by land, sea or air without going through Ogun State. “This single comparative advantage and competitive advantage has defined us as a people. Embedded in it is the success of this administration.”
Abiodun recalled that when he assumed office as governor of the state, “we looked at the state and said we must reflect this advantage beside our vision to provide a focused and qualitative government whilst creating an enabling environment for partnership which is good.”
He said that the vision of his administration was to create an enabling environment, an institution that upholds the tenets of good governance, believing that by doing this it will translate to economic prosperity for the entire state.
“We set out to make that vision, recognising the fact that we are the closest to the largest consumer market in Africa. “We have the longest border with Benin Republic, Osun, Oyo and Ondo states.
Coming from Lagos, you can go to the South-east or northern part of Nigeria. We enjoy an unusual length of highways, particularly federal highways more than any other state. “We have two major gas plants. All these factors, proximity, infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and geographical location have made us the industrial capital of Nigeria. We must translate this to what we call a pull factor. We must be more deliberate and intentional about bringing investors here,” the governor said.