Joel Ajayi
Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, has become the centre of attention as more than 1,200 athletes and officials from across the North Central region converge for the zonal eliminations of the 9th National Youth Sports Festival (NYSF). The event, which serves as the qualifying stage for team sports ahead of the finals in Delta State later this year, kicked off with screenings on Saturday and will run through Monday.
The hosting rights, initially assigned to Nasarawa State, were transferred to Kwara after Nasarawa failed to meet organisational requirements. Kwara Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq intervened, directing the state to underwrite the costs to ensure the zonal games went ahead as scheduled.
Zonal Coordinator Saka Akeem commended the swift action, describing Kwara’s intervention as “a lifeline” for the festival.
“We are immensely grateful to Governor Abdulrazaq for saving the day. Our impression since arrival has been very positive,” he said.
Nine sports will be contested in Ilorin, including football, basketball, volleyball, handball, beach volleyball, hockey, rugby, cricket, abula, and baseball/softball. Only the top two teams in each sport will advance to the national finals.
