7th KwaraFest: Athletes lament poor remuneration, threaten boycott

With Mike Adeyemi

Athletes from the 16 Local Government areas of Kwara state on Monday staged a protest to demand better welfare as the 7th Kwara Sports Festival kicked off in Ilorin.
The athletes barricaded the Taiwo Road entrance of the state stadium complex during the protest.
They claimed that it was absurd for the local government Councils to pay them N500 a day for the duration of the games.
One of the female athletes said “look at my eyes, it was punches that made it looked like this.
“They said they want to pay me N500 a day, for being a boxer?, would they be the one to step into the rings.
“Let them bring their children to fight us in the ring and we will take the N500” the athlete who pleaded anonymity said.
Another official from Irepodun local government area, who pleaded not to be named for fear of being sacked said many of the athletes have since returned to their homes because of maltreatment.
“We have not seen our Treasurer and DPM since we arrived Ilorin for the games.
“What they gave us as tea this morning was more or less a hot water than what they called it.
“I don’t even have a kobo to buy a drink not to talk of to buy food, many of our athletes have since returned to their homes because of the poor welfare package at the games” the official said.
When contacted the Kwara Director of Sports, Mallam Tunde Kazeem, over the incident, he confirmed the protest and said he has addressed the protesters and that the situation is under control.
Kazeem declined further comments even though some of the athletes vowed not to take further part in the games.
Investigation further revealed that the poor feeding system is occasioned by a caterer cooking for all the 16 local government councils while the athletes are not feeling the impact of the N2.5m released for each of the local government areas for the games.

…1,234 athletes registered, accredited

One thousand two hundred and thirty-four athletes have been registered by the 16 Local Government Areas, and accredited to participate in the on-going 7th Kwara State Sports Festival, holding at the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
Record shows that 823 of the registered athletes are male, while the remaining 411 are female, cutting across 26 sports events.
The events are football, handball, boxing, cricket, judo, karate, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, para-table tennis, dart, scrabble, squash, ayo and weight-lifting.
Others are track and field, aquatics, taekwondo, wrestling, para-athletics, kick-boxing, badminton, chess, cycling para-powerlifting and beach volleyball.
According to the report made available by the Chairman of the Accreditation Committee of the festival, Dr. Surajedeen Tosho Bakinde of the Human Kinetics Department of University of Ilorin, football recorded the highest number of athletes, been a team game. But while all the 16 Local Government Areas entered for male football, only four registered to participate in the female football, and they are Ilorin East, Irepodun, Moro and Offa Local Governments.
Dr. Bakinde attributed the low registration to the timing of the festival, and also, financial constraint.
He commended the state government for reactivating the festival after 15 years, and for providing adequate logistics, for the ritual.
While urging the state government to make it a constant exercise for the aims to be achieved, he charged the LGs to use the opportunity to discover more talents at the grassroots, and also change their recruitment strategy towards achieving the set objectives and to concentrate on events that brings more medals.
Dr. Bakinde, who said that the accreditation exercise was hitch-free, commended other members of the committee for the cooperation and understanding.

…36 medals won so far

Asa LG leading medals table

Thirty six medals have so far been won as the ongoing seventh Kwara State Sports Festival enters the third day at the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
Asa Local Government is leading the table with eight medals; three gold, one silver and four bronze.
Ilorin South is occupying the second spot with two gold and two bronze having a total of four medal while Ilorin West is in the third position with two gold medals.
Ifelodun stands in the fourth spot with nine medals; one gold, three silver and five bronze, Oyun is in the fifth position with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
Other Local Governments that won medal on the table are Isin, Moro, Kaiama, Offa and Baruten.
Six Local Governments Edu, Ekiti, Ilorin East, Irepodun, Oke -Ero and Patigi are yet to win any medal on the table released yesterday (Tuesday).
Meanwhile, Ilorin East Local Government yesterday defeated Ilorin West two 2 goals to nil to advance to the semi-final stage of the football event.