When the final whistle blew and the last medal was draped around a victorious athlete’s neck at the 22nd National Sports Festival, the applause reverberating through Abeokuta wasn’t just for the competitors.
It was also for a man whose fingerprints were on every milestone, every innovation, and every late-night breakthrough that brought the festival to life—Hon. Bukola Olopade.
But before the fanfare and the fireworks, before Ogun State became the epicenter of Nigerian sports, there was a vision—and there was a battle to convince key figures about that vision.
Olopade, a longtime sports administrator and strategist, had set his sights on bringing the National Sports Festival back to Ogun State. Convincing Governor Dapo Abiodun to bid for hosting rights wasn’t an overnight success. It took persistence, persuasion, and proof of concept. Yet, Hon. Olopade, with his trademark resolve, eventually secured the governor’s blessing. And from that point on, the story of Gateway Games 2024 took off like a well-run relay.
Appointed Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Hon. Olopade wasted no time. He rolled up his sleeves and turned every corner of opportunity into action. One of his first masterstrokes was securing the highest sponsorship deal in the history of the National Sports Festival, bringing Premium Trust Bank on board as headline sponsor. It was a landmark moment—setting the tone for the quality, reach, and ambition of the Games ahead.
But this was just the beginning.
Hon. Olopade became the engine of execution—architecting strategy, building systems, and recruiting the right people into the right roles. He brought in round pegs for round holes, assembling an organizing committee that worked like clockwork. From venue readiness to athlete logistics, branding to medical support, Hon. Olopade was involved at every level—planning, consulting, coordinating, and most importantly, inspiring.
In a twist of fate that felt more like destiny, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Hon. Olopade Director General of the newly revived National Sports Commission midway through the build-up. This development placed him in the unique position of simultaneously serving as the head of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC)—giving him both the executive authority and operational oversight to deliver a sports festival like no other.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him was Mallam Shehu Dikko, the astute Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), whose wisdom and leadership brought balance and structure to the festival’s broader framework. A proven administrator, Mallam Dikko ensured that national oversight supported the state’s ambitions—bridging policy, logistics, and high-level coordination to guide the Festival’s delivery. His engagement was quiet but profound, offering strategic direction that empowered the organizers and kept the festival mission-focused.
Hon. Olopade didn’t just occupy the office. He embodied the role.
During the Games, you could spot Hon. Olopade in the stands, chatting with spectators. Or on the training tracks, encouraging athletes. He was meeting with federations, inspecting media centers, walking through logistics zones, and ensuring security and welfare. His leadership wasn’t hidden in boardrooms—it was on the ground, in real time, where the Games were truly happening.
Among his many innovations, perhaps none stood out like the introduction of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA). Conceptualized as the “38th state,” IJA brought over 300 under-18 athletes to compete alongside seniors in events like football, athletics, wrestling, and swimming. It was a generational leap forward—designed to bridge the gap between potential and performance, giving Nigeria’s youth the platform they deserve. Hon. Olopade didn’t just pitch the idea—he shepherded it through every approval, ensuring it became one of the festival’s defining legacies.
And it didn’t stop there. Demonstrations for events like e-sports and flag football found space in the schedule under his watch, as he and his team looked to modernize the festival, attract younger audiences, and expand Nigeria’s sporting horizon.
Ask anyone behind the scenes—from vendors to volunteers, athletes to officials—and they’ll tell you: Hon. Olopade was everywhere. He brought not just a strategy, but a spirit. Not just administration, but authenticity.
Crucially, his efforts were continually supported by Mallam Shehu Dikko, who didn’t just play a symbolic role but worked side-by-side with Hon. Olopade throughout. From fine-tuning technical aspects of the Games to ensuring inter-governmental cooperation, Mallam Dikko’s steady hand helped navigate challenges, streamline approvals, and reinforce the vision of making Gateway Games a gold-standard festival. His contribution served as a model for how national leadership can empower grassroots brilliance.
This wasn’t Hon. Olopade’s first time transforming Ogun State through sports. In 2006, the last time the Sports Festival graced Ogun, he was the Commissioner for Sports—young, energetic, and driven. Nearly two decades later, his energy hasn’t waned; his passion has only deepened. In fact, what he brought to the 2024 edition was a masterclass in sports leadership—unconventional, tireless, and always people-centered.
In many ways, the success of the Gateway Games mirrors the story of Hon. Olopade himself: a tale of vision, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. The festival raised the bar for sports in Nigeria, and it did so because one man, with the right team and national backing, refused to settle for average.
As the spotlight shifts to Enugu for the next edition, one truth remains—what happened in Ogun wasn’t just a sporting event; it was a blueprint. And it all began with a man who dared to dream, the Director General of the NSC who knew how to clear the runway for that dream to soar.
©️Aminu ibrahim/Blueprint Newspaper
