A former Chairman of the Benue State Athletics Association and Para-athlete, Agaba Austin Agaba has appealed to the Benue State Government, to look into the numerous challenges that athletes are facing in the state.
Agaba made the appeal to Sports Journalists on Friday, at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi. He said, “we want to represent our state because it is a thing of joy, and that is why we want these challenges to be addressed. We are preparing for the Para-Games coming up in March, 2026 in Abuja but there are numerous challenges that are confronting us ranging from, training facilities, shortage of training equipment, no tracks, no kits, no monetary motivations, and no closed camp before the event. That is why the state has been losing potential athletes who go out to other states for greener pastures and to be celebrated”.
The former Chairman who specialises in Throw events, explained that the lack of motivation from the government was dampening their morale, citing, “when we returned from the Ogun 2024 NSF in Abeokuta, despite the lack of adequate preparations before the Festival, lack of closed camps for athletes, lack of training pitches and late take off to Abeokuta, our athletes won many Silver and Bronze medals but our efforts were not appreciated by the state government. We were not even recognised. This is enough to kill the spirit of the contingent”.
“At least, they would have hosted us, told us well done and also given us awards for representing the state well. What we have always wanted the Government to do is to show more interest and commitment to sports development, by preparing the athletes on time for sports events. This will go a long way to boosting our morale. One of the major means of tackling insecurity is by engaging the youths in sports which when done, none of them will be willing to pick up arms against his fellow humans for peanuts”.
Also speaking, a visually impaired Para-athlete who won a Gold medal in Short Put and a Silver medal in Discuss for Bayelsa State, at the Ogun 2024 NSF in Abeokuta, Barr Amedu Gideon Amedu averred that, “we have been working so hard because of the motivation by self passion for sports. Benue is where we started from but because there is no motivation, some of us left and featured for other states”.
Barr Amedu who is a Champion in Throw events for the blind (F-11), informed that Benue was not even represented at the Para-Championship which held on the 3rd of December, 2025 in Lagos, because the proposal which they submitted to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Creativity, prior to the sports meet was not given due attention saying, ” for how long shall we continue to face such challenges”.
He expressed dismay over the unfair treatment given to them when they sought the audience with the Commissioner, Tiza Imojime. He said, “We were treated as commoners and not allowed entry into the gate of the Ministry. This is unfortunate. If athletes continue to receive such treatment from the state, what do you expect from them? Of course, they will go to where they will be treated fairly and celebrated”.
“We have written a series of letters to the Sports Commissioner, seeking an audience with him and since then no one from that office has cared to come and address us. Even as we speak, the Commissioner himself has not deemed it fit to come and address the athletes or even visit the Sports Council since he was appointed a Commissioner. The Youth and Sports Ministry will not be complete without sports.
“If not for the love that we have for the state and the passion for sports, we wouldn’t have granted this interview for the government to hear our cry. We believe that our selfless and ever dependable Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia may not be aware of these challenges that we are facing, considering the fact that he is committed to delivering good governance by touching every sector in the state positively”.
According to him, “we have the energy and also all that it takes to compete favourably with athletes in other states. That is why we are crying out for better welfare and support. You can imagine that some athletes Trek from different parts of Makurdi to the Aper Aku stadium for training. Will you expect such an athlete to perform well and give you good results when he or she has already exhausted his energy on the way trekking? No. “Benue State has surpassed that stage when athletes go through such challenges in sports”.
He recalled that, “when I was invited by the Bayelsa State government to sign a ₦1Million contract for just training ahead of the last NSF in Abeokuta, I notified my State (Benue) of the development thinking they will support me and not let me go but they didn’t. I had to leave and at the end of the Sports Festival, I won a Gold and a Silver medal for them. Right there at the pitch after I was pronounced the winner of a Gold medal in Short Put, the Bayelsa State Sports Commissioner told me well done and he instantly gave me an award of ₦100.000 cash. After the festival, I also basked in the euphoria with the sum of ₦1.500.000 Million as prize money for the Gold and Silver medals respectively”.
Several efforts were made to reach the Commissioner of Youth, Sports and Creativity, Tiza Imojime on the phone for comments but it proved abortive as he would neither pick his calls nor reply to the text messages that were sent to him. A visit to his office was also unfruitful as he was reportedly absent
