By Dorcas Francis Koji
Athletes representing Oyo State at the ongoing zonal elimination for the National Intermediate Games on Wednesday protested at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, over alleged unpaid bonuses, poor welfare and what they described as years of neglect.
The protest came as athletes and officials from different South-West states arrived in Ibadan for the zonal competition.
The aggrieved Oyo athletes reportedly locked the entrances to the sports complex, preventing visiting athletes and officials from gaining access to the facility.
The protesters accused the Oyo State Government of failing to fulfil financial and welfare commitments allegedly made to athletes who represented the state at competitions including the National Sports Festival, Para Games and other national and international events.
They also complained about what they described as inadequate welfare packages and poor remuneration, despite the sacrifices involved in representing the state.
One of the athletes, who said she had represented Oyo for more than a decade, expressed frustration over what she described as the lack of meaningful benefits from her years of service.
“Concerning our welfare and our treatment in Oyo State, it has been very, very worse. They are not treating us right. They are treating us like trash, like use and dump. They are using us and dumping us. We have sacrificed our future for Oyo State,” she said.
The athlete added that her more than 10 years of representing the state had not translated into meaningful personal progress.
“I have been fighting for Oyo State for over 10 years, and I can’t say this is what I have used Oyo State achievements to do. I have not really achieved anything for good. Oyo State has not been treating us well. In fact, one of us is battling cancer,” she added.
Another protester criticised the leadership of the state’s sports sector, particularly the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, over the handling of the athletes’ grievances.
The athlete said the decision to lock the stadium gates was intended as a peaceful way of drawing the government’s attention to their concerns, while alleging that efforts were made to force open the facility rather than engage with the protesters.
The athletes also raised concerns over their monthly remuneration, with one questioning the adequacy of the reported N40,000 monthly payment.
“Our welfare package is also very poor. Imagine earning N40,000 as a monthly wage, what can that do?” the athlete asked.
The latest protest is not the first time Oyo athletes have raised concerns about unpaid rewards and welfare. Similar complaints were reported in 2023 over alleged delays in the payment of financial rewards promised for performances at competitions including the 2022 National Sports Festival in Asaba, the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the National Para Games and the African Cycling Championship.
There were also previous complaints over rewards allegedly promised to athletes following the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival.
However, in 2025, the Oyo State Government announced that Governor Seyi Makinde had approved an N80,000 minimum wage for athletes, coaches and sports officers employed on contract appointments.
The announcement came ahead of the 2025 National Sports Festival, where Oyo was expected to field a large contingent of athletes and sports officials.
The latest development has now brought renewed attention to the welfare of athletes representing the state, with the protesters calling for outstanding financial commitments and broader welfare concerns to be addressed.
Leave a comment