10th NYG Host to Be Unveiled at Asaba 2025 Closing Ceremony – NSC DG Olopade Clarifies ~ Truth Reporters

 

By Andy Emephia

 

In what appears to be a final word on the controversies trailing the recent inspection of facilities in Lagos State, one of the bidders for the next edition of the National Youth Games (NYG), the National Sports Commission (NSC) has announced that the host of the 10th NYG will be unveiled on September 7, 2025, the closing day of the ongoing Games in Asaba.

 

Briefing journalists at the Media Centre of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, stressed that no decision had been taken to grant Lagos State the hosting rights for the 2026 Games, contrary to widespread speculations.

 

According to him, the Commission remains committed to due process in the selection of a host state, guided by established parameters for facility assessment and existing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), which he noted “are not cast in stone.”

 

Olopade commended the Local Organizing Committee for adopting a tripartite model in screening athletes, saying it had greatly enhanced the credibility of the Games by curbing age-limit controversies that often plague grassroots competitions.

 

Reacting to media reports alleging internal rifts and power tussles within the Commission, the DG dismissed such claims as “half-truths, innuendoes, propaganda, and outright falsehood” propagated by what he described as “quack and contemptible journalists.”

 

He defended the leadership of the Commission under its Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, describing him as “a brother, friend, and amazing leader” with whom he enjoys a cordial working relationship.

 

“A whole lot of shenanigans have been going on. There was never a time we fought over money, contracts, or positions. The ridiculousness of that story is enough for SWAN to reprimand the writer. We have also reported the matter officially to the DSS under Section 19 of the Cybercrime Act,” Olopade said.

 

The NSC DG reaffirmed the unity of purpose between himself and Dikko, adding that both men remain committed to transforming the nation’s sporting landscape into a production-oriented system capable of revolutionizing Nigerian sports.

 

He further revealed that the Commission, in partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is already intensifying preparations for the country’s forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, reiterating the NSC’s determination to boost Nigeria’s performance on the global stage.