Olopade Applauds RIYE Under-15 Athletics Circuit, Calls For Greater Investment In Grassroots Sports

Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has hailed the organisers of the maiden RIYE Under-15 Athletics Circuit, describing the championship as a shining example of how grassroots sports can be used to discover and develop Nigeria’s next generation of champions.

Speaking at the grand finale of the competition on Friday at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Olopade commended the Tunde Delu Initiative and its convener, Hon. Tunde Delu, for creating a platform that unearthed young athletics talents from communities across the state.

He said the initiative reflected Delu’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment and sports development, urging more private individuals and organisations to invest in grassroots programmes capable of identifying and nurturing future stars.

“This is exactly the kind of initiative Nigeria needs,” Olopade said.

“Hon. Tunde Delu has demonstrated genuine passion for sports development by creating another pathway for young talents to be discovered. I commend him for investing in the future of these children through athletics.”

The NSC Director-General stressed that sustainable success in sports can only be achieved through deliberate investment at the grassroots level, where young athletes first discover and develop their abilities.

According to him, grassroots competitions provide far more than medals and trophies, offering children opportunities to build careers, develop life skills and contribute meaningfully to society.

“When we create opportunities like this for children, we are doing much more than organising competitions,” he said.

“We are creating hope, building careers, producing future champions, creating wealth and steering young people away from social vices. This is the direction sports development in Nigeria should take, and I encourage more well-meaning Nigerians to support initiatives like this.”

The inaugural RIYE Under-15 Athletics Circuit began with zonal qualifying events across Ogun State’s four sporting districts—Remo, Ijebu, Yewa and Egba—before the top-performing athletes converged on Abeokuta for the grand finale.

The championship featured boys’ and girls’ events in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, mixed 4×100 metres relay, mixed 4×400 metres relay, shot put, long jump and high jump.

More than 2,000 athletes representing over 200 schools across Ogun State participated in the competition, underlining the growing enthusiasm for athletics at the grassroots level.

Organisers reaffirmed their commitment to making the RIYE Under-15 Athletics Circuit an annual event, with the long-term objective of identifying, nurturing and developing young talents capable of representing Ogun State and Nigeria on the continental and global stage.

The championship is widely regarded as another significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s athletics development pathway and ensuring a steady pipeline of future stars.