The Director-General, National Sports Commission, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, in Abuja on Sunday said that the Queens Baton Relay would help to create awareness about the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Elegbeleye said this at a briefing to herald the reception of the Queens Baton Relay billed to arrive in Abuja on January 6 from Accra, Ghana.
The baton, which was flagged off by the Queen of England on October 9, 2013, would travel round 70 countries in the World over a period of 288 days.
The baton, which has the Queen’s Commonwealth message in it, will cover 190,000 km and involve a third of the world’s population, making it the world’s most engaging relay.
The baton will terminate its journey in Glasgow on July 23 at the opening ceremony of the Games.
Elegbeleye said the relay was a tradition of the Commonwealth Games symbolising the coming together of all Commonwealth nations and territories in preparation for the four-yearly festival of sports and culture.
The 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay is the curtain-raiser to the 20th Commonwealth Games holding from July 23 to Auguat, 2014 3 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Nigeria is one of the 70 countries participating in the 11-day event featuring 17 sports and 261 medal events.
The NSC director-general further outlined the baton’s journey once it arrives in Abuja.
He said: “The baton will arrive in Abuja on January 6 aboard Arik Air from Accra, Ghana at 9am and it will be received by officials of the Nigeria Olympic Committee and members of the 2014 Commonwealth Games Baton Relay Committee.
“The baton bearers will move from the airport to Package A of the National Stadium where the baton will be received by the NSC director-general with members of the Commonwealth Organising Committee at 11am.
“The director-general will move the baton to the presidential villa where it will be handed over to the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, at 1pm.
“The minister will, in turn, hand the baton over to President Goodluck Jonathan.”
Elegbeleye added that after a brief remark, the President would then hand the baton over to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed.
“The baton will be passed-on from the FCT Minister to several FCT cabinet members before making its way to the Director of Sports, FCT Council, Alim Musa.
“Musa will, after a short run, hand the baton over to a commonwealth games medallist.
“The medallist will thereafter pass the baton on to other international athletes who will take the baton to a float stationed outside the gate of the villa.
“The baton will thereafter move round major streets in Abuja before retiring to Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, where the baton bearers will be hosted to a dinner by the FCT Minister in the evening.”
Elegbeleye added that the baton would leave Abuja for Lagos on January 7, from where it would travel to Cameroon on January 8.
Earlier, the Chairman of the 2014 Commonwealth Games Baton Relay Committee, Bolaji Ojo-Oba, gave assurance that the relay journey would be hitch-free.
Ojo-Oba said: “The leadership of the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Commission have mobilised their officers to ensure that we have a soft landing tomorrow.
“So, we are looking forward to a hitch-free relay.”
Team Nigeria will participate in six sports namely athletics, wrestling, weightlifting, table tennis and boxing in both the female and male categories.
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