Former Nigeria International, Segun Odegbami, has revealed that Ogun State will soon witness the emergence of a viable and sustainable night economy driven by sports.
Odegbami, who is the Grand Sports Ambassador of Ogun State, revealed that he has begun working to establish the envisaged sports – driven night economy to enhance the State’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP) and that of the country, Nigeria.
He disclosed this in an interview on the side-line of the on-going 22nd National Sports Festival holding in the state, stressing that he had been given the mandate by the state government to make the dream a reality.
He said: “I have been given mandate to develop sports economy beyond the festival and to develop an environment for night economy – all driven by sports.
“The sports economy and a night economy driven by sports. The second thing to put in place is environment and facilities at events and places that will generate safe good cultural and social activities in the night in different parts of Ogun State. It is beyond the games, during and beyond the games.
“We are just beginning. We look at the facilities we have and the environment we have and we start to create events, places and environment that generate an economy that adds to the Gross Domestic Product of the state. So, it is going to be very interesting.”
Speaking in the same vein at his press conference yesterday in Abeokuta, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olapade, said the Gateway Games Ogun 2024, would boost the economy of the state, adding over 10 million pieces of famous Adire fabric have already being sold within just four days.
Olopade made this known during a press conference held at the Media Centre situated at the Cultural Centre in Abeokuta.
“I know authoritatively that in the last four days, we have sold over 10 million Adire clothing, over 10 million,” he said.
“I know because their direct sellers are complaining now that they are out of stock
“We have more demand than supply right now.
“The impact of sport cannot be over-emphasised, because of this festival, we have witnessed building of new roads, health care infrastructure development, and capacity building visibility.
“Hotels in Abeokuta are recording high patronage due to this festival. This is part of the economic impacts of sport. Sport does not only unite people, it boosts the economy of a nation.
“Over three hundred small scale businesses are operating inside the stadium in 2006. People became multimillionaires, people showed me houses that they built after the games and they are there again doing their business.
“When you go to Babcock on the entrance of Babcock over a hundred small scale businesses are there because of this game,” Olopade added.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
