Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has fulfilled his pledge to award N5 million to Nigeria's first Olympic badminton medallist, Mariam Eniola Bolaji, in recognition of her historic bronze medal win at the Paris 2024 Games.

The Governor presented the cash reward during a ceremony at the Kwara State Government House, where Bolaji formally presented her Olympic medal a moment underscoring the state's commitment to celebrating athletic excellence.

The athlete expressed profound gratitude, stating: "I am deeply grateful for His Excellency's unwavering support, generosity, and passion for sports development. This gesture reflects his dedication to empowering young athletes."

Bolaji's achievement, which made her the first Nigerian to win an Olympic badminton medal, followed a triumphant return to Nigeria where she received commendations from First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Governor AbdulRazaq, who chairs the Nigeria Governors' Forum, reiterated his administration's focus on investing in sports as a catalyst for youth development and national pride.

She also thanked her sponsors and the Kwara State Sports Commission for their backing, pledging to continue representing both Kwara State and Nigeria with pride on the global stage.

"I remain committed to being a proud ambassador of Kwara State and Nigeria to the world," she said.

The 18-year-old beat Ukraine's Oksana Kozyna 21-9, 21-9 to secure a podium finish three years after her coach, Bello Oyebanji, died in a road accident as she was preparing for the Tokyo Paralympics.

"My late coach was the one who brought me through; he trained me and encouraged me. The medal is dedicated to him. He would be very, very happy and would be saying 'I'm proud of you'," she said after her win in 2024.