Ogun 2006 is the worst ever -- Commissioner

The ongoing 15th National Sports Festival in Ogun state has been described as mere propaganda and just a plan to glorify the government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

Contrary to the hype and publicity the 2006 Games enjoyed, athletes, spectators and various state officials were dazed at the kind of poor reception they met in Abeokuta.

Accoding to the Director of Sports in Sokoto State, AlhajiMuaizu Suleiman, the organization of the Games was far below expectation and nothing to write home about.

Muazu told our reporter that the expectation after the Abuja Games was high but were disappointed that the 2006 Games in Abeokuta took them years back in terms of logistics and organisation. The Director expalined that it took the host over two days before his athletes could be accommodated adding that even that the hostels that were provided were mosquitoes invested ones.

"We even found it difficult to find an alternative accommodation in town due to the shortage of hotels in the ancient town. Alhaji Muazu also comlained about the locations and venues of various events which were about 80 kilometres or more from their hostels.

He wondered why a team that was accommodated in Ijebu Ode would be travelling to Abeokuta for feeding. "I have never seen a terrible festival of this nature since 1973 when it made its debut in Lagos. During the Benin festival, everybody were accommodated in decent hotels. The accommodation was dehumanising and all the noise we are hearing and reading in the news were mere noise.

Muazu said if he happened to be the commissioner in his state he would have ordered his team back home. Muazu also criticised the State Governor for celebrating his birthday on the same day the fetival kicked off which affected the opening ceremony which was delayed for about three hours.

"How can someone fix his birthday to clash with an event of this magnitude, he would have respected the youths of this country by shifting the birthday to another day," he said

Also corroborating what Muazu said, Mohammed Yahaya Head of Sports Development in Jigawa State berated the organisers for not providing decent accommodation. He expalined that some of their athletes were not feeding fine becuse of the distance from the venues to their hostels.

All these problems were evident even as reporters found it difficult to get updated results of the various events. As at the third day of the event finishing touches were still being put to some of thse facilties while the host too were running about in confusion.