As predicted by The Guardian on Tuesday, host, Ogun State, staged a comeback to upstage Bayelsa in the second position on the final medals table at the just concluded 22nd National Sports Festval in Abeokuta.

Team Bayelsa led the medals table for four days before Team Delta took control. Bayelsa then maintained its second spot, leading Ogun, Rivers, Edo, Lagos and Oyo till the closing ceremony on Thursday evening.

While the closing ceremony was going on at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, only announced Team Delta as winners of the Sports Festival saying: “I have just been told that some events are still going on, and Bayelsa and Ogun are neck-to-neck in the race for the second position. ”

Then, the tennis event, which was disrupted by early morning rain on Thursday was yet to be concluded, though, Bayelsa was slightly ahead on 92 gold medals as against Ogun 90 gold.

However, the Prince Dapo Abiodun team grabbed three gold medals to hit the second position, the first for the state in history of her participation in the National Sports Festival.

While Team Delta retained its title by winning a total of 337 medals, made up of 126 gold, 100 silver and 111 bronze, Team Ogun state finished second with 93 gold, 65 silver and 80 silver and Bayelsa 92 gold, 65 silver and 71 bronze medals.

Team Rivers finished 4th with 76 gold, 58 silver and 65 bronze while Edo was 5th with 73 gold, 101 silver and 119 bronze medal. Lagos was 6th with 38 gold, 43 silver, 88 bronze medal, Oyo in 7th position with 38 gold, 37 silver and 51 bronze, just as FCT ended in 8th spot with 14 gold, 8 silver and 17 bronze medals. Osun was the 9th state with 13 gold, 3 silver and 11 bronze medal and Akwa Ibom completes the top ten with 12 gold, 11 silver and 20 bronze medals.

The highly commended Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) ended the festival in an impressive 18th position with two gold, 9 silver and 11 bronze medals to inspire the next generation of Nigerian athletes.

A total of 2139 medals were won at the Games with 633 gold medals, 624 silver and 882 bronze medals. Anambra state won the gender balanced award for an impressive equal based number of male and female contingents to the Games.

For the government and people of Ogun State, they took the hosting of the National Sports festival to another new level after ending the Games with a breathtaking closing ceremony on Thursday at the MKO Sports Arena.

After about two weeks of non stop competition, the closing ceremony had every element of a true global sporting spectacle.From the quality of attendance to the inspiring calisthenic display, the musical performances to different inspiring speeches of top government dignitaries, Thursday’s closing ceremony has definitely raised the bar for future games. The opening and closing shows will leave a lasting legacy for a very long time.

Senator Akpabio who was the special guest of honour, on behalf of President Tinubu, thanked the Government of Ogun state and the good people of the state for being a very good host throughout the games.

“This has truly been a festival of national unity and development. When you look at what the Governor, Dapo Abiodun has invested in the area of infrastructure for these games, you will see that our sports is on the right path.”

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun promised to ensure the gains of the festival are sustained especially with the sporting infrastructure built for the games.

“We are truly fulfilled for hosting the entire country in the last few days and doing this has even inspired us to ensure we keep this momentum by ensuring the adequate maintenance of our sporting infrastructure for many years to come.

Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, thanked all the stakeholders that ensure the success of the games.

“The NSC is very grateful to everyone that sacrificed day and night to ensure we delivered a very good games with the festival. Our appreciation first goes to Mr President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, while the Governor of Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun, has also shown an inspiring path as a true sports leader”.

Director General of the NSC, Hon Bukola Olopade, who doubles as the Chairman of the Main Organising Committee, however, charged the next host state, Enugu to further raise the bar of the games as the hosting flag was officially passed to the coal city state for the 23rd edition.

“Ogun state has done an exceptional job as a host and this is due to the visionary and intentional leadership of the Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and this is the standard Enugu state must try to surpass and I have no doubt that Governor Peter Mbah, will deliver another world class Games in 2026”.

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo also addressed the crowd, declaring all the athletes ‘winners’

The high point of the closing ceremony was the cutting of cake to mark the 65th birthday of Governor Dapo Abiodun led by the Senate President and the entire spectators at the stadium also chorused to sing a happy birthday song for the Governor like a mass choir.

Fuji Legend King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (Kwam 1) later lit the stadium with a dazzling display on stage before Afrobeat star, Wande Coal, took the entire crowd, including the Governor to another carnival of non-stop performance.