By Victor Kanayo
The Presidential reception for the victorious Team Nigeria athletes to the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham has been scheduled to hold on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, capital of Nigeria.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, who disclosed this on Friday in his office in Abuja, stated that the planned reception is in recognition of the historic performance of the team.
The Commonwealth team put up the best ever performance since 1950 (72 years ago) when Nigeria first participated at the Games, which led to President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval that a special reception be held in their honour.
Dare also said the event is also part of the country’s way of appreciating the Team’s great act of sacrifice, patriotism and determination, demonstrated at the Games which has brought Nigeria into positive global focus.
For harvesting 35 medals for the country, made up of 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze and lifting the nation’s name high as Number 1 in Africa, the Minister reiterated the present administration’s commitment to the development of sports.
He assured that the Ministry on its part, would continue to create an enabling environment for sports to thrive, not just as a recreation but also as a business and means of investment.
He then called on all sports loving philanthropists in the country to embrace “the adopt-an-athlete initiative of the Ministry and join hands with government in the promotion of sports in Nigeria.”
Dare on behalf of the top management staff of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development as well as the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), thanked Buhari for granting approval for the Presidential reception.
