By Taofeek LAWAL
Barring any change in dates again, the much postponed National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Edo 2020, Nigeria’s version of mini Olympics, will now hold in February 2021, between 14th and 28th.
According to Gabriel Aduda, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the National Council on Sports under the chairmanship of the Honorable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, at an Extra- Ordinary Council on Sports Virtual meeting held on 15th December 2020, unanimously agreed to host the NSF 2020 from February 14th to 28th, 2021.
“Justifying the reasons behind the postponement from the initial date of 3rd to 18th December 2020; the Hon. Minister explained to members of the Council the need for better precautionary measures against Covid-19 bearing in mind the expected influx of holiday makers during the festive period, as agreed between the Ministry, the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and the host state,” Aduda said in a statement made available to 9News Nigeria in Abuja.
“Recall that the National Sports Festival tagged ‘EDO 2020’ was originally slated to hold early this year (precisely March) but for the outbreak of the Covid-19 which necessitated the postponement and suspension of all sporting activities to guard against the spread of the corona virus nationwide.”
Started and staged in 1973 at the National Stadium, Surulere in Lagos, the National Sports Festival was originally conceived as a “unifying tool” with the main purpose of promoting peace and cross-cultural affiliation in Nigeria after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970.
The game also serves as a development and training event to aid athletes prepare for continental and international meets.
The objectives of the game among others include; to build a robust talent pool of athletes, to enhance and elevate sports at grassroots level, to establish a standard programme for athletes’ succession, to enhance and elevate sports at grassroots level, to curb age cheating in sports.
