By Akinwale Kasali
The hope of prospective sportsmen and women at the ongoing National Sport Festival in Edo State to showcase their talents, out of obscurity to gain prominence and limelight has been dashed following the abrupt end of the National fiesta seven days behind schedule.
The reason for this is not far fetched. The President Muhammadu Buhari led Administration has failed to release funds for the national tournament.
After a delay of over one and half years, the festival started last week, expected to last for two weeks. Sadly, the Local Organizing Committees, LOC, of the championship had to end the Festival by 12 Noon today Thursday, April 8, 2021.
Instead of 12 days, the National Sports Festival will end after seven days over the failure of the Federal Government to release funds.
The Coordinator of Media and Publicity, National Sports Festival, Ebomhiana Musa, made this known to this medium.
In a statement late Wednesday night, he confirmed that the decision was taken after an emergency meeting of the Local Organising Committee headed by
Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
According to him, the Edo State Government will shut down the ongoing 20th National Sports Festival by 12 noon on Thursday (today).
He said, “The Local Organising Committee, Edo2020 regrets to announce that it will end the games abruptly tomorrow, Thursday, April 8, 2021, for lack of funds.
“Rising from an emergency meeting this evening, the LOC says it has to take this hard decision due to lack of funds having expended its reserves to kick start the games.
“Regrettably, the FG is yet to redeem its pledge to support us as the host state financially for the cost of postponements. So, we are left with no option but to end the games at noon tomorrow.”
The development is coming despite the postponement of the festival on several occasions.
No fewer than 8,000 athletes from different states of the federation are participating in the festival.
Edo State had raised the alarm over the Federal Government’s failure to provide fund 24 hours to the commencement of the festival, but were optimistic that the FG would redeem its promise.
Sadly, the State waited in futility, prompting the halting of the festival with five days left.
This is the 20th edition of the National Sport Festival, which produced the likes of Late Sunday Bada, Blessing Okagbare, Udobong Enifiok among others.
