The Federal Government has approved November 2nd and 15th, 2022 for the 21st National Sports Festival (NSF) in Asaba, Delta State. Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare disclosed this on Monday in Asaba during the extraordinary National Council on Sports meeting and inauguration of the LOC for hosting the NSF. The minister said Delta State was the best host for the NSF, commending Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's contributions to sports development in the state and Nigeria at large.
“Therefore, this meeting today puts us at the cusp of another National Sports Festival (NSF) which we refer to as our own Olympics,” he said.
“The National Council on Sports meeting today has become necessary in order to update Council on developments, and deliberations on issues that concern the hosting of the 21st National Sports Festival which Delta State had earlier won the rights to host in November 2022″.
“Interestingly, Delta State came first at the recently concluded Edo 2020. Now, we are happy that they have the opportunity not just to host, but to validate their first position.
“Arising from the award of the hosting rights to Delta State, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has continued to engage the Host State on the need to fine-tune the road map in preparation for the NSF.”
The minister thanked the Governor, noting that the feat achieved by Nigerian athletes at the recent Tokyo Olympics would not have been possible without the 12 athletes the Governor adopted through the Adopt-an-Athlete initiative.
“He single-handedly adopted the largest number of athletes and we are glad that out of the two medals we won, one of them was won by one of the athletes adopted by the governor. That is Ese Brume,” the minister said.
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