Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has announced the renaming of two major sports bodies in the state in honour of the 22 athletes who lost their lives in a tragic road accident while returning from the recently concluded National Sports Festival in Ogun State.
Going forward, the Kano State Sports Institute and the Kano State Sports Commission will now bear the names of the departed sportsmen and women.
The institutions have been renamed the Kano State 22 Athletes Sports Institute and the Kano State 22 Athletes Sports Commission, respectively. This move, according to the governor, is a lasting tribute to the athletes who died in service to their state and nation.
Governor Yusuf made this announcement while receiving Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who paid a condolence visit to Kano State along with her team. During the visit, the First Lady donated the sum of ₦110 million to the families of the deceased athletes under the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Expressing his appreciation, Governor Yusuf praised the gesture of the First Lady and reassured the bereaved families that they would not be forgotten.
He stated that the people of Kano were immensely proud of the dedication and sacrifice of the late athletes, vowing that their legacy would be preserved and honoured for generations to come.
In addition to renaming the sports institutions, the governor unveiled a series of welfare packages for the families left behind. He promised that the education of the children of the deceased would be fully sponsored by the state government.
Furthermore, the widows of the athletes would be enrolled in economic empowerment programmes to help them become self-reliant. He also stated that the parents of the unmarried victims would be given necessary welfare support.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mustapha Muhammad, these steps demonstrate the administration’s commitment to supporting those who contribute to the progress of the state, even in death.
The tragic accident occurred on Saturday, May 31, 2025, approximately 50 kilometres from Kano. The victims were returning from the Gateway Games 2025, hosted in Abeokuta, Ogun State, when their vehicle was involved in a fatal crash. Among those who died were athletes, officials, and journalists, all of whom had represented the state at the event.
IREPORT247NEWS recalls that the incident sent shockwaves across the sports community in Nigeria, with many describing it as one of the darkest days in the nation’s sporting history.
Commenting on the tragedy, a former athletics official from Gombe State described the accident as a “national tragedy”, calling for a period of mourning. He condemned the decision to proceed with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections so soon after the incident, stating it was “insensitive and unjustified”.
The loss of these 22 lives has not only brought grief to Kano but also highlighted the need for improved safety and support for athletes across the country. Governor Yusuf’s decision to immortalise the victims through institutional legacy and family support has been widely welcomed as a step in the right direction.