NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL
Gateway Games Opening Ceremony: A Night of Stars, Sports, and Excitement
It’s been over 24 hours, but the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta is still vibrating.
The stadium came alive on the 19th of May, 2025, as Ogun State hosted the grand opening ceremony of the Gateway Games 2024. The event, which began the multi-sport festival, brought together athletes, officials, and spectators for a night of celebration, culture, and sportsmanship.
The Gateway Games opened with a fast-moving, colourful, and hypnotic show that ticked every box from sports to culture. The ceremony continued with the arrival of officials and dignitaries, including Governor Dapo Abiodun and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Power-packed assembly
The stadium was filled with excitement as spectators filled the stands, cheering in anticipation. Opening performances followed. A combined band of musicians and cultural troupes grabbed the audience from the first beat. The cultural troupes delivered mesmerizing dances, while the musicians set the stage for an unforgettable night.
Asa took the mood higher, delivering both the National Anthem and the Ogun State Anthem with her signature smooth control, and left the audience in awe.
Excitement galore!
The Loud City Choir stepped in next to sing the Games’ official theme song. The parade demonstration from each State followed this. The parade saw all 36 states march in colorful attire. Highlights included Ogun and Edo’s yellow and red ensembles, respectively.
The chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mr. Shehu Dikko, and the director general of NSC, Mr. Bukola Olapade, emphasized the games’ significance.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Wasiu Isiaka, highlighted the state’s commitment to athletic excellence.
The Vice President of Nigeria, representing the president, Kashim Shettima, and the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, both championed youth, unity, and the start of the fantastic games.
What a starry night!
Finally, superstar Davido brought the stadium down with an electrifying performance, a sign that the games have started at a volume we can’t turn down.
With thrilling performances, inspiring speeches, and an outpouring of state pride, the opening ceremony signals a powerful and energetic start to the Games’ two-week run.
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Supporting the Scientific Conference at the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, aligns with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS)’s objective of fostering a viable sports economy in Nigeria.
According to Professor Ayo Omotayo, Director General of NIPSS, developing a robust sports economy is consistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that this goal forms part of the presidential mandate to the leadership of the newly reconstituted National Sports Commission (NSC).
Professor Omotayo emphasized that this marks the beginning of a strategic partnership with the NSC to build a sustainable and impactful sports economy in the country.
He also underscored the importance of sound policy formulation and effective implementation within Nigeria’s sports ecosystem to avoid policy inconsistencies.
He further stated that the sports sector, as a key component of the creative economy, must be empowered to make a meaningful contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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As the Games begin at the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, after a colourful and spectacular Opening Ceremony, the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olapade, has met with state delegates, assuring them of a groundbreaking event that will set new standards in the history of the games.
The entire sporting community in the country and beyond were thrilled with a spectacle embedded with a rich cultural display laced with world-class performances from the likes of Davido and Asa as the Games began with an Opening Ceremony of a world-class standard.
In his address, Olopade highlighted core values such as love, focus, discipline, and unity as the essence of the National Sports Festival.
He emphasized that the festival will not only be a celebration of sports but also a testament to integrity.
“Let medals be won with honour, not by crooked means,” he admonished, stressing the importance of fair play and true sportsmanship.
The DG salutes the unwavering support and backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his personal interest in Nigerian Sports, which has led to the current transformation going on in Nigerian Sports.
” We are where we are today revamping, reshaping and resetting our Sports ecosystem because of the vision of Mr President, the father of the country. He is why the National Sports Festival is now wearing a new look of world-class standard, and we will continue to thank him”.
He also lauded the Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, for his unwavering dedication to the success of the festival.
“Mallam Dikko has shown immense commitment and love for this project. That spirit must be cascaded down to every athlete and official,” he said.
Olapade expressed profound gratitude to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for his tremendous support in mobilising resources and empowering all stakeholders
He described the games as “a festival of modern times,” ready to place Ogun on the national and international sports map.
Welcoming all participants to the state, Hon. Olapade concluded emotionally, “Welcome to my story — a game I bid for, a journey that has my name written all over it.”
With anticipation building, Ogun 2024 is shaping up to be a landmark edition of the National Sports Festival — one that celebrates not just athletic excellence, but unity, passion, and the enduring Nigerian spirit.
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Never before has the National Sports Festival featured 38 teams. This makes the 2024 edition, taking place in 2025, the biggest ever as the Gateway games begin this Sunday.
The 36 states are joined by the Federal Capital Territory and another assembly of Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) who make up the 38th competing team.
The past two days have witnessed the arrival of teams. This Sunday evening, the skies of Abeokuta will be ignited as fireworks and the lighting of the games’ cauldron are expected to be the high points of the potentially best opening ceremony in history.
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