Tears and Rain: Ogun State Athletes Abandoned to Sleep in the Open at Youth Games in Delta

Ogun State’s young athletes, who journeyed with high hopes to represent their state with pride at the ongoing Annual Youth Games in Delta State, are now crying out in anguish after being subjected to harsh and humiliating conditions that have left many of them sleeping outside in the rain. The athletes, who had set out to compete and showcase their talents on a national stage, described their ordeal as one of despair, neglect, and crushing disappointment. Their voices, trembling with frustration, paint a tragic picture of a delegation stripped of dignity and forced to endure avoidable suffering at an event meant to celebrate youth, sportsmanship, and talent discovery.

According to several athletes and officials who spoke with reporters, since arriving in Delta State, the entire Ogun contingent—comprising athletes, coaches, medical personnel, and security officials—has been stranded without proper accommodation. They lamented that instead of being given adequate housing to rest and prepare for their competitions, they were forced to sleep outside in the open, exposed to the elements. For many of the athletes, the reality of lying helpless under rainfall without any shelter was not only humiliating but also a glaring sign of neglect by those who should have safeguarded their welfare.

“It is with deep concern and disappointment that we bring to public attention the distressing situation faced by the athletes and officials representing Ogun State at the ongoing Youth Games,” one official lamented. He explained that despite traveling long distances and sacrificing their comfort to represent the state, they were received with nothing but abandonment. “Since our arrival yesterday, our athletes have been stranded, sleeping outside in the open like refugees. How can this be happening to young champions who came here to make the state proud?”

The situation, they noted, was worsened by the complete lack of basic amenities. There has been no electricity to light their surroundings and no water to drink, bathe, or maintain hygiene. This, the athletes warned, poses serious threats to their health and wellbeing. Dehydration, infections, and psychological stress are now hanging over them like dark clouds, adding to the difficulty of competing under already tough circumstances. “Even more worrisome is the fact that we have been left without water or light since our arrival. Athletes are unable to bathe, drink clean water, or even stay safe in the dark. This is a national competition, not a punishment ground,” another coach explained in anger.

The athletes questioned why Ogun State’s sports administrators repeatedly fail to provide adequate welfare for their representatives at major competitions. They recalled how similar lapses had marred previous festivals and expressed fears that the neglect could destroy the morale of promising talents. “Are we going to sleep outside again today?” one athlete asked painfully. “Must Ogun athletes continue to go through this humiliation at every national sporting event? When will this stop?”

The heartbreaking accounts highlight the deep contradiction between government rhetoric and the lived reality of athletes. Ogun State, like many others, often boasts of commitments to youth development and sports promotion. Yet, the same athletes meant to embody that vision are left stranded and degraded on the national stage. One official, fighting back tears of frustration, remarked, “These athletes sacrifice their time, energy, and comfort to carry the hopes of millions of Ogun indigenes. They should be treated with respect, but instead, they are abandoned to sleep on the bare ground in the rain. What message does this send to the next generation of athletes? That their lives and efforts do not matter?”

The humiliation has also sparked anger among sports lovers and concerned citizens who believe such negligence undermines Nigeria’s future in sports. They argue that athletes who should be focusing on their competitions are now distracted by hunger, thirst, insecurity, and ill health. Experts warn that such conditions not only reduce performance but also discourage young people from participating in sports, a sector crucial for talent discovery and state pride. “If these athletes fall sick or lose their confidence because of this neglect, how will they perform? And if they fail, will the same officials who abandoned them not be the ones to blame them for underperforming?” a stakeholder asked bitterly.

The Ogun delegation is now appealing directly to the state government, national sports administrators, and relevant authorities to intervene urgently. They are demanding immediate action to provide proper accommodation, restore water and electricity, and ensure that their basic human needs are met so they can focus on competing. Beyond the present crisis, they are also calling for accountability. Those responsible for the repeated lapses in logistics and welfare must be held to account to prevent a recurrence. “Until deliberate and lasting solutions are put in place, this recurring humiliation will continue to kill the morale of our athletes and discourage youth participation in sports. Enough is enough,” a team official insisted.

Despite their plight, the athletes expressed hope that their voices would be heard and that urgent intervention would come before it is too late. They said their cry is not out of anger but a desperate plea for change, fairness, and respect. “We raise our voices not in anger but in hope,” one of the athletes said softly. “Hope that someone will hear us, that our leaders will act, and that we will finally be treated like human beings who matter, not like abandoned strangers.”

For many Nigerians, the sight of young athletes forced to sleep outside in the rain while representing their state at a national competition is more than just a sports story. It is a reflection of systemic neglect, mismanagement, and the betrayal of a generation’s dreams. The Youth Games should be an avenue to showcase Nigeria’s brightest talents, but instead, for Ogun athletes, it has become a theatre of humiliation. Their ordeal has now cast a dark shadow over what should have been a celebration of skill, passion, and youth empowerment.

Unless swift action is taken, this tragedy risks sending a dangerous message to the country’s youth—that even when you give your all to represent your state or nation, your welfare and dignity are expendable. And for a country that prides itself on its sporting heroes, that message could prove disastrous in the long run.

At the ongoing Youth Games in Delta, Ogun State’s athletes have given Nigeria not just a competition to watch, but a heartbreaking reminder of what happens when the voices of the young are ignored and their sacrifices dishonored. Their tears in the rain must not be in vain.