Rivers glow in Abuja

Nigeriasports.com takes you through some of the happenings at the ‘Nigeria Olympics’  in Abuja.

Beautiful Rivers
Rivers States contingents were the cynosure of all eyes at the official opening ceremony of the National Sports festival in Abuja.

The Rivers contingents filed out in traditional ‘Etibo and George’ wrapper with straw hats, popularly called ‘Odili hats’ in Port Harcourt, with walking stick to match.

FCT minister spits fire
The FCT Sports commission debunked speculations of monetary reward for any athlete that wins any medal.

According to the FCT minister, Nasir El-Rufai , winning is not the prioritybut the participating spirit, so therefore athletes will not get any cash reward but rather gifts will be given for outstanding performances.

"I think it's a huge joy to be a part of the event and no amount of money can buy you a sporting spirit" he told Nigeriasports.com

Poor welfare
Bizarrely, FCT athletes are still at loss over their entitlements. They find it ridiculous that as the hosts they are getting a lousy #40 naira as daily allowance, while their counterparts from other states earn as much as a thousand naira per day.

Food trouble persists
The food trouble at the games village is far from over, Nigeriasports.com can authoritatively reveal.

Aggrieved athletes are lamenting over the reduced portion of food in the past two days.

Nigeriasports.com gathered that though, fighting and chaos over food has stopped but the mad rush for food still persist, as food doesn’t get to everyone.

"I have given up any hope of eating at the games village" a sad lagos State athlete told Nigeriasports.com

Rivers in monetary mood
The Rivers State government is leaving no stone unturned in figuring amongst the top runners at the 14th National sports festival in Abuja.

Nigeriasports.com exclusively gathered that each athlete gets #700 naira daily, which amounts to #9,860.00 for the entire duration of the games, this is aside daily feeding which is provided by the state officials.

Officials of the state get between #42,000 and #98,000 for the duration of the games, depending on their level in ministry.

Delta athletes on strike
Athletes representing Delta State are at loggerheads with the officials over what they've termed 'short-changing'.

According to the furious athletes, they fume at being paid a paltry #1,000 daily allowance, when the state government released a whopping #17 million naira for the games.

Nigeriasports.com can exclusively reveal that the athletes are threatening to halt their participation in events until they are paid their dues.

“The commissioner can go and represent the state. As far as we are concerned athletes welfare should be a priority” a female athlete who preferred anonymity told Nigeriasports.com

FCT in kitty war
The never ending trouble with the hosts, FCT continues on Saturday as the athletes complain of poor kits.

Sadly, the kits only arrived on Saturday morning and the football side lamented their ordeal to Nigeriasports.com

“Imagine our goal keepers without gloves” an athlete who seeks anonymity disclosed. 

Reports by China Acheru in Abuja