Tinubu to Perform Send-off for Team Nigeria in Abuja Today

Olawale Ajimotokan  in Abuja 

President Bola Tinubu will today perform the official send-off for the Nigerian contingent to the United Kingdom for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland ahead of their departure to Aberdeen tomorrow.

The event, billed for the Presidential Villa, is part of the President’s show of support for the team before they depart for the final phase of the Games.

Nigeria is looking to build on Team Nigeria’s impressive outing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where the country emerged as the highest-ranked African nation on the medals table after amassing 35 medals comprising 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze.

The Nigerian athletes, camped in Abuja, where for an intensive training will undertake a three-week training camp before proceeding to Glasgow, the host city of the Games.

Nigeria will compete in 10 sports at the Commonwealth Games, with a contingent of 74 athletes expected to represent the country.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will hold from July 23 to August 2, bringing together athletes from across the Commonwealth to compete for honours in various sporting events.

Just last Monday, the National Sports Commission (NSC) named Nigeria’s Shot Put star, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, as the nation’s male captain for the team

The U.S-based 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist will co-lead the Nigerian team alongside two-time Olympic Champion, Folashade Oluwafemiayo who is the female captain for Team Nigeria at the Games.

33 year-old Enekwechi is the current African Champion and he is also the 2019 African Games champion alongside his status as the reigning National Sports Festival Champion.

The Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said that the choice of both Chukwuebuka Enekwechi and Folashade Oluwafemiayo resonates perfectly with the vision of the Commission to have a clear mentorship pathway for the country’s young athletes to aspire for greatness in their chosen sports.