What was supposed to be a beautiful chapter in the organisation sports in the country ended tragically with the death in a fatal crash of 22 athletes from Kano State on their way back from Abeokuta after the Gateway 2024 National Sports Festival.

Although the Federal Road Safety Commission  (FRSC) hastily concluded that overspeeding and fatigue led to the unfortunate incident, there is need to evaluate Nigeria’s version of the Olympic Games. In doing this, we must accord athletes deserved attention.

Some states just grace the festival to fulfil all righteousness, ensuring fat pockets for politicians and officials while those who matter most, the athletes, are treated like refugees in Internally Displaced Peoples Camp (IDP).

The accident occured some fifty kilometres to Kano, on the second day of their trip from the host city. The bus had made a stop over in Abuja. Two days after that crash, some athletes from another state were still on the road, trying to get back home after participation.

The Kano State government wasted no time in announcing that each family of the dead 22 would be gifted the sum of one million naira. I do not know who sanctioned that decision but it was insensitive. That amount would have been enough to fly the dead back through Lagos while they breathed.

I have observed that State governors spend more money upgrading facilities while less is spent on the athletes. Host governor Dapo Abiodun did a damn good job camping the  Ogun State contingent at Babcock University. He also changed the face of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.

Abiodun went further, promising to reward the state athletes. Each gold medal attracted the sum of 2.5 million naira. For every silver medal, 1.5 million naira was available while bronze fetched one million naira. For every Ogun athlete who participated without winning a medal, there was an alluring fifty thousand naira pat on the back.

Unfortunately, in the course of the games, athletes from the host state staged a protest, disrupting activities over delay in the promised largess. Abiodun had promised to deliver in 24 hours but bureaucrats, in their usual cat and mouse style, failed him.

Athletes deserve all the money. The NSF is not School Inter House Sports. The Olympic Games is a money yielding venture. Hong Kong offered 768, 000 US dollars for each gold won  by its representatives, 384, 000 dollars for silver and 192, 000 dollars for bronze. That was at Paris 2024.

The United States dangled 38,000 dollars before each  gold medalist. Poland flashed  25,000 dollars. Nigeria offered much less. Gold attracted 5,000 dollars. It was 3,000 dollars for silver and 2,000 dollars for bronze. Unfortunately, no Nigerian won anything at the last Olympics. Perhaps, if the offer was close to what the Americans got, the story would have been different.

Some sports officials are so attached to pilfering government money that they think less about athletes. During the last Niger Delta Sports Festival, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) made available brand new luxury buses to states. That offer was rejected and the athletes were transported in less comfortable vehicles.

If NDDC supplied buses were allowed, how would state officials empty government treasury through questionable allowances and vehicle maintenance charges? It did not matter if the rickety vehicles broke down on the way or crashed on the highway.

Credit to Gen. Buba Marwa. In his years as Administrator, Lagos State athletes travelled by air. They did to Benue 1996 and again, to Imo 1998. Athletes from far flung places like Sokoto and Maiduguri would have spent days on the road.

There is no rule against road journeys, anyway.

What turns my insides out is why politicians fly themselves around the country but allow athletes to go through hell on the road where Boko Haram, Bandits, Kidnappers, Armed Robbers and Killer Herdsmen have  created empires.

In 1973, there were no security challenges. States could travel by road without let. The East Central State contingent left their University of Nigeria Nsukka camp for Lagos and coach of  the eventual soccer gold medalists, Dan Anyiam, even drove his Ford Taunus, accompanied by three of his players, Patrick Ekeji, Godwin Ogbueze and Kenneth Ilodigwe.

In 1973, athletes were camped in different parts of Lagos. Kwara and Benue Plateau flag bearers were taken to Igbobi College. In 2025, all athletes stayed together in a Festival Village inside Babcock University. It was something good from the organizers.

Next hosts, Enugu should go beyond that and involve the private sector like was done by the  2000 Olympic Games organisers. I remember visiting the Sydney Olympics Village, a private sector boost, on 90 hectares of land in the suburbs of  Newington, around Home Bush Bay. It housed 15,000 athletes and officials, in two and three bedroom apartments. Streets were named after great Olympians like Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis. After the games, the houses were sold to individuals.

As facilities are upgraded, athletes must also be regarded. I doubt if the lives of the departed 22 were insured. This is important and sounds better than everyone rushing to donate money in death. When George Ashiru served as president of the Nigerian Taekwondo Federation between 2013 and 2017, he introduced a Life Insurance Scheme for athletes, coaches, instructors and referees.

I doubt if others did or are doing the same presently. Something as simple as complete tracksuits, some states cannot provide. It is a shame that medalists mount the podium wearing motley attires.

Kano is the heart of Sports in the North. The first time the Challenge Cup left Lagos, it was won by Kano, in 1953. And Lagos did not smell the trophy until 1956. Calabar won in 1954 after beating Kano in the grand finale. Port Harcourt did in 1955. Kano is full of dollars, politicians should invest in athletes, not thugs.