By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
As member nations prepare for the Commonwealth Games, Nigeria on Saturday, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja received the Queen’s Baton Relay, an iconic event which started with a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London as part of the city’s Commonwealth Day festivities.
The President, Commonwealth Games Nigeria, Engineer. Habul Gumel who received the Queen’s Baton Relay at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for onward presentation to the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare who later performed handover to President Muhammadu Buhari said that, Nigeria is the first country in Africa to receive the Queen’s Baton Relay.
At the Presidential Villa, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN who received the Baton on behalf of the President, reminds member-nations of the strong bonds uniting the 72 countries and territories that are members of the international body.
The Queen’s Baton for the 2022 Commonwealth Games is moving across the 72-member countries and territories of the Commonwealth. Nigeria is its third stop, and first in Africa. From here the Baton goes to Gambia and ends up in Birmingham at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The Vice President represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the event held at the Presidential Villa, where the Queen’s Baton, the equivalent of the Olympic Torch was passed on.
According to Prof. Osinbajo, “as the relay goes from one Commonwealth member-country to another in its journey across several continents, the two billion-strong population of the commonwealth are reminded of the strong bonds of brotherhood and friendship that bind us across these continents, nations, races, tongues, and faiths.”
The Vice President noted that the Queen’s Baton Relay “is a much-loved tradition which precedes every Commonwealth games. A Baton carrying Her Majesty’s message of goodwill to the Commonwealth goes on a 90,000-mile, 72-country journey to end at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.”
The VP commended the relay team for their cheerfulness and dedication to the tour covering thousands of miles, and the organizing committees for the hard work in seamlessly delivering this relay event.
While also commending “the athletes who will bring excitement and thrill to millions at this festival of sport and culture”, Prof. Osinbajo acknowledged the achievements of Nigerian athletes at the Games since inception.
“Nigerian athletes will join their brothers and sisters at the Games, as we have done at several of the Games since we first attended in 1950, when Joshua Majekodunmi won our first medal in the high jump event.
“Since then, our athletes have won no less than 236 medals at the games! We are set to do much better in Birmingham.”
Dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare; the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Catriona Laing; and President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel, among other top officials.
From Nigeria, the Queen’s Baton will be going to Gambia on the 20th of October. Previously the Baton had been to Cyprus and Malta before coming to Nigeria.
According to him, “the Queen’s Baton Relay which is similar to the Olympic Torch is a relay around the world and the Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II.
The Relay started in October 2021; when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II placed her message to the Commonwealth into the Baton. The Baton will then travel for 294 days, connecting communities in every corner of the Commonwealth, embracing unique cultures and sharing stories”.
This collective journey, he stated further, “will ignite hope, solidarity and collaboration for the next generation, with stories inspired to take on the challenges that matter most to us.”
Gumel who is also the President of Nigerian Olympics Committee (NOC) explained that Nigeria is the third country to receive the Queen’s Baton Relay after which it will tour 15 other African countries before moving to Asia.
The 15 other African Countries are: Gambia (October 16), Sierra Leone (October 23), Ghana (October 26), Cameroon (October 29), Kenya (November 2), Uganda (November 5), Rwanda (November 10), Tanzania (November 13), Malawi (November 17) and Zambia (November 20).
Also, Mozambique (November 23), Mauritius (November 27), Botswana (November 30), St. Helena (December 5), South Africa (December 8), Namibia (December 14), Eswatini (December 17), Lesotho (December 20) Seychelles (December 23).
