As the curtain draws on the delayed 13th African Games on Saturday in Ghana, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has celebrated the athletes that represented Nigeria gloriously at the competition.
Tinubu joined millions of other sports-loving Nigerians to salute the memorable display of Nigeria winning spirit by the athletes at games and congratulated them for outstanding feats at the continental competition.
Team Nigeria finished second on the medals table with 47 gold, 33 silver and 41 bronze medals.
Team Egypt won the Games with 101 gold, 46 silver and 42 bronze medals, while South Africa came third with 32 gold, 32 silver and 42 bronze medals. Hosts Ghana finished in a distant sixth position with 19 gold, 29 silver and 20 bronze medals.
According to a statement by sports development minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, President Tinubu and Nigerians remain proud of the athletes and their officials, and commended them for showcasing the Nigerian strength, resilience and excellence.
"On behalf of His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu ,GCFR , I welcome you back to our dear country. I congratulate you for your outstanding performance in the just concluded 13th African Games that was held in the Republic of Ghana.
"For two weeks, fifty-two countries fiercely contested for honours in twenty-nine sports; dwelling in the most competitive manner to win laurels for their countries and Nigeria was involved in twenty five of those.
"From our world class athletes who burnt the tracks and triumphed, to our dazzling wrestlers, boxers, weightlifters, and indeed other deserving sportsmen and women who were in imperial form, the indomitable Nigerian spirit was on full display, leaving behind whatever pre games inadequacies. The nation is thankful for the hard work and sacrifice of your individual and collective efforts.
"For the duration of the games, not just Africa, but also the World witnessed the full demonstration of the unyielding spirit of the African continent and you were at the centre of all the developments and more than underscored the great Nigerian possibility and what it portends for Africa and the world. Your dazzling performance and brilliance, propelling our country to a second place finish having won forty seven gold medals , thirty three silver medals and forty one bronze medals, making a total of one hundred and twenty one medals, out of the 52 competing countries at the end of the games is no mean feat.
"This indeed is an unforgettable testament for which the government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians will remain proud of. Thank you great athletes for showcasing the Nigerian strength, resilience and excellence," Senator Enoh said.
While continued thanks the athletes for their gallantry and achievements in putting the country on the firm pedestal as a leading sports powerhouse on the continent of Africa, said the time has come for Nigeria to spend as much, if not more, as it does for competitions in development and preparation, if she ever hope to get atop the medals table which she have only achieved once in 2003 when the country hosted the Games.
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"Efforts will be made to continue to consolidate on those sports we have earned the greatest laurels while also interrogating the ones, as a country we are naturally endowed but which we continue to perform poorly, such as swimming. This is the only way we can blunt the gap between us and our main rival as we envision and implement a masterplan that will propel us to the sporting summit on the continent.
"For the meantime, the challenge of the Ministry is to work out a sustainable package of incentives that will continue to put the welfare condition of our sportsmen and women at the forefront.
Thank you once more our gallant heroes and heroines as I welcome you back," Enoh stated.
