Owan Marathon Organisers to Sponsor Athletes to Okpekpe, Lagos Marathons
From Osazua IMAFIDON, Benin
The organisers of the annual 10km Owan marathon have announced plans to sponsor athletes to Nigeria's two elite marathon races, Lagos and Okpekpe, scheduled for February and May 2026 respectively.
The organiser, Chris Ojo, made the disclosure while speaking on the just concluded Owan marathon in a statement made available to newsmen.
While noting that the annual Owan race was actually on its 7th edition, Ojo explained that the decision to sponsor athletes, particularly those from Edo State extraction, is to groom them for global stardom.
He said that as part of the plan, a coach would soon be unveiled that will train and take these athletes to the mentioned marathan races in Lagos and Okpekpe in Edo state.
"This is the essence of the Owan marathon race; discover talents, and groom them for global stardom.
"The only way we can prepare them for global stardom is to constantly engage them in major marathon races in Nigeria and beyond," he stated.
Speaking on the just concluded this year's edition of the Owan marathon race, Ojo who described it as a huge success, said a consultant would soon be engaged as part of effort to take the annual event to the next level.
Ojo asserted that the consultant to be engaged would not only market and promote the event but also be involved in the planning of the main race.
According to Ojo, "all these are geared towards standardising the race that has begun to attract the participation of international athletes, particularly from Ghana and other neighboring countries.
"As you will recall, when we started this event, it was dominated by local athletes from Owan and other parts of Edo state, and progresses to other states.
"The 2026 edition saw athletes from Ghana stealing the show with their athletes carting away three of the six top prizes in both the male and female categories."
The Owan marathon organisers noted that the 2026 edition also saw the government of Edo state, including the Owan local government, showing more interest in the annual event.
Ojo particularly commended the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku and Chairman of the state Sports Commission, Desmond Enabulele, for their involvement in the 2026 editon.
According to the organiser, "their roles in this year's edition brought more glamour to the annual event as their promise of full participation in subsequent editions is also a boost to us."
Ojo said he initiated that annual event to provide a platform where talents, especially from the Owan community, can be discovered and nurtured.
While noting that he remained fulfilled that he has remained consistent in organising the annual event since the first edition, he, however, conceded that the race is not where he aimed for it to be.
According to him, that is the essence he planned to engage a consultant beginning from the next edition of the race.
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