The President of the Nigerian School Sports Federation, Malam Ibrahim Mohammed has said that this year's edition of the National School Sports Festival to be held in Ilorin, Kwara State is going to be a unique one.

In an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Sports, Mohammed said it would be the first time that the corporate sponsor coming to sponsor the games which is aimed at catching the athletes young from the school level.

"This years National School Sports Festival is unique in its own nature, because this year, the first in history, we have some corporate organisations coming to support School Sports Federation. All the years the effort has been ours supported by those that love us within the government sector but now there are corporate bodies, like Sterling Bank, Nestle Milo and the National Sports Commission supporting us.

"Initially this festival was expected to be held in Akwa Ibom State but at the last hour, they stepped down due to lack of logistics and we rushed to the Kwara State government where the governor felt that he could not allow the energy of these young stars to go to waste, so he had to support their interest, motivate them and graciously approved the hosting of the festival within the shortest time given. "We are appreciating this sports loving governor for the effort and support given to the country's children not only children of Kwara and the Nigeria School Sports Federation which I still believe the governor is a product of school sports." Mohammed hinted that exco members of NASCOM have been attached to every event, to oversee the demonstration sports, while the federations of the respective events are the ones to perform the demonstration sports. Similarly, the NSSF would be there to ensure compliance in this year's edition.

"Our exco members are there to ensure that our objectives are achieved through determination, discipline, respect and honesty. If those events can meet these parameters, we will upgrade them to scoring events while raising the ante for officiating."