By Andrew Ekejiuba

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has announced plans by the state for sports development in the coming year and revealed that his administration will construct a brand-new Boxing Hall in the state which will be named after Anthony Joshua.

The Governor made this remark at the State House in Abeokuta where His Excellency hosted the former two-time world heavyweight boxing champion as he visited Nigeria for the New Year celebrations.

“We are going to construct a brand-new Anthony Joshua Indoor Boxing Ring, and that boxing ring will be in a stadium here in Abeokuta to ensure that you come home more frequently,” he said.

The Governor then conferred on Joshua, Ogun State Sports Ambassador and promised to give Joshua a brand-new home in Shagamu, AJ’s country home in Ogun State.

“I want to openly request that, besides the fact that today we are going to officially confirm you as our sports ambassador, we want to request that you come back to light up the Gateway Sports Festival torch; you will be the one lighting it up.

“You are now our official sports ambassador and we have also decided that we will give you a brand-new house in Sagamu,” he said.

The Governor spoke further on the essence of having someone like Joshua to identify with Sports in the state.

“You’re coming back home will be a source of motivation and inspiration for many young men who are aspiring sportsmen, and we have quite a lot of them in Ogun State.

“I want to congratulate you on what you have achieved in a short span of your boxing career,” the governor said.

In his remarks, Anthony Joshua said he would give his best in supporting and promoting sports in Ogun State and Nigeria at large.

Ogun State will host the 2024 National Sports Festival. The multi-sport event was initially fixed for January 2025 but it has now been rescheduled to a later date in 2025