The Ogun State Cricket Association has declared its intention to leverage the gains made in upgrading cricket facilities during the ongoing 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF) by pursuing local and international competitions after the event.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 20, during the opening match of the cricket event at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, the association’s chairman, Mr Oludare Kuforiji, expressed satisfaction with the improved facilities and the progress made in the sport’s development in the state.
“It’s been a long journey,” Kuforiji said. “We used to have just one cricket pitch in Abeokuta. Now, we have two standard cricket pitches side by side—the first of its kind in Nigeria—and a third ground just three minutes away.
“This allows for three simultaneous matches, something that has never been done before in the country.”
Kuforiji credited the support of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), led by President Uyi Akpata, and the efforts of the association’s members for making the improvements possible.
The enhanced facilities include three playing surfaces, a standard training net, an auditorium, and a new access road.
Despite Ogun State losing the opening match to Kaduna by 13 runs on technical grounds due to a rain interruption, the chairman emphasized that the focus was on the long-term value of the investments.
First Vice Chairman of the association, Engineer Kehinde Osikoya, echoed the sentiment, stating that the post-festival plan is to keep the facilities in top shape and transition from mat pitches to turf pitches to meet international standards.
“We are determined to maintain these facilities after the festival. Beyond that, we are targeting both local and international matches. To this end, we are setting up a dedicated committee for facility maintenance and utilization,” Osikoya said.
He added that the association is also reviving two major grassroots competitions as part of a broader effort to sustain cricket development in the state and entrench its reputation as a cricket-playing hub.
With the substantial infrastructural boost, the Ogun State Cricket Association is positioning itself as a major player in Nigeria’s cricket landscape and is determined to ensure that the momentum does not fizzle out after the festival.
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