By Orkula Shaagee
17 states have confirmed their plans to participate in this special Olympic Day to be celebrated across Nigeria, on June 28, 2025.
The states that have indicated interest to organise this year’s Olympic Day celebration are:
Edo, Plateau, Ondo, Taraba, Enugu, Delta, Kwara, FCT, Anambra, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Kogi, Gombe, Osun, Imo, and Lagos State, which is currently housing the Secretariat of the NOC.
A statement signed by the NOC PRO, Mr. Tony Nezianya said the events will feature a variety of demonstration sports and activities depending on individual and group interests.
These activities will include jogging and walking to promote calorie burning, muscle toning, overall health, and stress reduction.
In the past, Olympic Day celebrations featured a 10-kilometer and a 5-kilometer race, which some considered restrictive.
However, following popular requests from advocates of the Olympic Movement, the celebration has now been expanded to include a wider range of sports to appeal to a broader participation.
The event has evolved into a mass movement aimed at promoting fitness for all, according to Austin Odigie, the coordinating officer for Sport for All Commission.
Chairman of the NOC Sport for All Commission and President of the Weightlifting Federation of Nigeria, Dr Abdul Ibrahim, has called on the state governments of the 17 listed councils and commissions to actively participate in this mass-oriented fitness programme.
He urged those unable to participate this year to in future use this annual event as an opportunity to mobilise the populace and encourage engagement in sports for better fitness.
President of NOC, Engr. Habu Gumel, will flag off the event at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, which will be staging the event in a long while.