In what is now spiraling into a full-blown embarrassment, a troubling incident at one of the state camps preparing for the 22nd National Sports Festival has ignited outrage among coaching staff, who claim they are being systematically disrespected — starting with how they’re fed.
On the evening of Monday, May 12, during what should have been a routine dinner, coaches were reportedly told to wait until all athletes had eaten before they could approach the dining area.
This directive, which blatantly undermines team unity and hierarchy, has sparked backlash from several affected technical staff.
“This slap is too much for us to keep enduring,” one aggrieved coach stated. “In every camp I’ve attended — be it state, national, or international — feeding is done as a team. This ‘athletes first, coaches last’ policy is a humiliation, not hospitality.”
The bizarre practice not only defies basic camp etiquette but has also led to deeper unrest among the coaching crew. The situation became more tense when one coach stood up and voiced what many were already feeling:
“For me oh, I will suggest we don’t go to that dining tomorrow. We will not die if we don’t eat that food. We should leave them and their food because that food is giving us a lot of insults. That’s my suggestion. Thank you and God bless all of us.”
The message hit hard — not just for its defiance, but for what it represents: a breaking point.
In a camp that should foster unity, discipline, and mutual respect, the administration’s failure to implement basic team structure is now threatening morale and cohesion. Rather than focusing on tactics, drills, and preparation for glory in Abeokuta, coaches are left feeling sidelined in their own field of duty.
If this state hopes to make an impact at the National Sports Festival, it must first fix the fractures within. Respect, they say, is earned — but it must also be given. It’s time administrators recognize that the success of athletes begins with the strength of their coaches.
