Team Nigeria @ Commonwealth Games will get presidential reception – Minister

Members of the historic Team Nigeria to the 2022 Commonwealth Games will receive a presidential reception, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said.

Team Nigeria achieved its best performance ever at the Commonwealth Games at the 2022 edition in Birmingham, winning 12 gold, nine silver and 14 bronze medals.

Speaking with Team Nigeria athletes on Monday, Dare praised them for bringing the country into global focus for positive reasons.

A statement by the minister’s media office quoted him as saying, “I followed every moment of your competition. I was in Birmingham from the beginning till I had to leave for other official engagements. So many Nigerians followed you too. We are all so proud of what you achieved for Nigeria and yourselves.

“Mr President is also very proud of you and has approved that a presidential reception be held to honour you for the historic feat at Birmingham 2022.

“We will immediately start to plan for the reception and once we have tightened things up, we will announce the date, invite you over from your different bases and you will have that privilege of meeting Mr President.

“Nigeria will appreciate you for the great acts of sacrifice, patriotism and determination to excel that you all have demonstrated here whether you have a medal around your neck or not.”

Meanwhile, Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu, has announced that his company will give cash rewards to all Team Nigeria medallists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Tinubu said his company would match whatever cash reward was already in place for the athletes by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

This implies that gold medal winners will get another $5,000, Silver medal winners ($3,000) and Bronze medal winners, ($2,000) from him.