Afe Babalola doles out N1.2m to NIPOGA - As host wins Games

Tunde Ogunesan, who was in Ado Ekiti - 06.05.2008

Renowned legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) has donated N1million to the Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association (NIPOGA) in addition to the prize money of N225,000 doled out to the three placed winners at the 15th edition of the Games which ended last weekend at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti.

He told sports journalists that the money would be fixed in a bank by the NIPOGA council to yield interest which he said would be used as prize money in subsequent Games.

Chief Afe Babalola, who was the Grand Custodian of NIPOGA 2008, expressed satisfaction with the organisation of the Game adding that it was impressive.

Meanwhile, the host won the weeek-long Games with 18 gold, 17 silver and 18 bronze medals to grab the prize money of N100,000 ahead of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, which finished with 17 gold, eight silver and 11 bronze medals and went home with N75,000, while the Abia State Polytechnic placed third with 13 gold, three silver and three bronze medals with N50,000 as prize money.

A member of NIPOGA Council and the marketer of the Games, Mr. Ladipo Idowu commended the contribution of Chief Afe Babalola which he described as a morale booster to the body, stressing that, "the expected interest from the fixed deposit (N1 million) will serve as prize money and this gesture is unique. In fact, this is the first time winners received prize money through NIPOGA and the tradition has come to stay with his financial support.”