The maiden edition of the National Youth Games kicked off on Sunday at the main bowl of Abuja National Stadium with the Bolaji Abdullahi-led National Sports Commission (NSC) again, displaying extravagant spending.
The opening ceremony which was scheduled for 2.00 pm did not start until 4.00 pm, featuring the popular musician, Wizkid who was said to have been paid N3 million to entertain the guests and athletes.
Surprisingly, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid mounted the stage immediately after the first half ended but only played for 10 minutes.
However, those who thought they will enjoy his music after the end of the opening match between Oyo State and Abia State were wrong. He left as soon as the match ended.
Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi and NSC Director General, Gbenga Elegbeleye, are now gradually being noted for extravagant spending.
Prompt News Online, also recall that the NSC spent millions to bring top musicians like Ice Prince, Olamide, DJ Kenny among others to perform at the re-opening of the Abuja stadium after the regressing of the mian bowl pitch that gulped N97 million.
Few days after the reopening, members of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports, on oversight function lamented the huge sum spent to re-grass the pitch that was said to have been badly done.
“You know the Minister is a youth, in his mid-forties and he likes music. We are not surprised that he is spending millions of naira to bring young musicians to Abuja to entertain whenever he has a function in his ministry,” a stakeholder in sport who pleaded anonymity said.
The National Youth Games bring together Under-17 youths from all the states of the federation with the sole aim of catching them young.
