OGUN TO HOST 6TH GATEWAY TERTIARY INSTITUTION GAMES (GATIG) AT IJEBU-ODE
As part of the Ogun State preparation towards a successful hosting of the National Sports Festival next year, the State Ministry of Sports Development, in collaboration with the Gateway Tertiary Institution Games (GATIG) Council, has picked Wednesday, 25th, and Sunday, 29th of September, 2024, for the games at Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State.
GATIG, which entered its 6th edition this year, was first organized in the state in December 2004 at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, but the competition later suffered some setbacks because it couldn’t hold annually as planned by the major stakeholders.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated GATIG Council, which comprises the heads of sports units of various tertiary institutions in Ogun State, Mr. Adeyemi Olalekan Kehinde, in a chat with the newsmen after their last meeting with the Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun State, Hon. Wasiu Adeniran Isiaka, in his office, disclosed that GATIG has come to stay.
Mr. Adeyemi explained further that this year’s edition of the championship is coming at the right time when Ogun State is determined to host and organize a befitting and promisingly successful National Sports Festival.
“The GATIG will therefore be an avenue for the state to discover talents from various tertiary institutions that will represent Ogun State at the forthcoming National Sports Festival,” he noted.
The GATIG Council Chairman, who also doubles as the Director of Sports at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, also informed the journalists that many tertiary institutions have indicated their interest in participating in this year’s GATIG.
“In the near future, we will look forward to seeing institutions bidding for the hosting of the annual competition as we have in NUGA, NIPOGA, and NACEGA games so that we can have our institutions improving on the provision of adequate sport facilities on our campuses across the state for both public and private institutions.”
“Many of our tertiary institutions do not have adequate sports facilities, which have been hindering our student population from participating in sports,” Adeyemi noted.
He added that the best athletes at this year’s GATIG will join the state team in camp for final trials and selection to determine who will represent Ogun State at the next year’s National Sports Festival.
