The maiden edition of Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) blazed the Uyo Township Stadium in Akwa Ibom Wednesday, April 2, showcasing the rich cultural diversity of the oil-rich region.
The festival torch was lit by Olympian Enefiok Udo-Obong, supported by Festival Ambassadors Victor Ikpeba, Seun Ogunkoya, Paralympian Patience Igbiti, and Tamunosiki Atorudibo.
At the occasion, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for organising the Niger Delta Sports Festival, describing it as the first of its kind and stating that it would harness the youth’s potential, promote unity and community development in the Niger Delta region.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Chairman of National Sports Commission, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, spoke this at the opening ceremony of the maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
He said: “Let me commend the Niger Delta Development Commission for its initiative in organising this laudable event aimed at bringing young sports talents from the region together. For this competition, I am convinced that this praiseworthy initiative will foster youth development, promote peace, and contribute to economic growth, while also enhancing community development and security.
The President noted that the competition would boost grassroots sports development and complement the Federal Government’s structural reforms in the sports sector through the National Sports Commission.
He observed that the NDDC’s foresight would create room for more participation and interest in sports among state governments in the region.
He commended the Akwa Ibom state government for its continued support for the promotion and development of sports in the country.
Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, charged participants in the Niger Delta Sports Festival to build friendships and promote peace in the region, even as he urged the state’s contingent to not only host the competition but to emerge victorious.
Hammering on the theme, “Beyond Oil: Harnessing Talents,” the Governor described the sports fiesta as aligning with one of the thematic areas of his administration’s ARISE Agenda: Human Capital Development.
He commended the vision of the current Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) management to restore the region’s past glory in sports, noting that it aligns with the state government’s commitment to discovering talents through sporting events, as reflected in the creation of a stand-alone Ministry of Sports.
According to the Governor, “The ministry is headed by a veteran sports journalist and international football administrator, Paul ‘Sports’ Bassey. There was a time when athletes from our region dominated Nigerian sports—from athletics to boxing, table tennis to weightlifting—from our beautiful, peaceful, and serene capital city of Uyo to the bustling oil and gas hub in Eket, and to the Rafia City of Ikot Ekpene. To all the athletes gathered here, I urge you to uphold discipline and the spirit of sportsmanship.”
He charged the competitors to make judicious use of the opportunity by building friendships, promoting unity, and showcasing their talents, while challenging the state’s contingent to put in their best efforts and win medals to justify their hosting rights.
“Beyond winning medals, this event is an opportunity to build friendships, promote unity, and showcase the talents of the youths of the Niger Delta. To the Akwa Ibom State contingent, I challenge you to go out there and win medals for our state. We are not just hosting these games; we are hosting to win!”
Speaking also, Ondo State governor, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, thanked President Tinubu for his support in enabling the NDDC to organize the festival, stressing that the sports fiesta will serve as a bridge for regional unity and fast-track the discovery of sports talents in the Niger Delta.
The Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, described sports as a vehicle for national development.
He stated that the assemblage of the sports participants for the competition is indicative of the abundant human resource potential in the region.
The governor explained that the Niger Delta Sports Festival would have a profoundly positive impact on the region’s future. He further assured the continuity of the programme in subsequent years, just as he encouraged the sportsmen and women to participate actively in the fiesta.
Earlier, NDDC’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration, and Chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, Alabo Boma Iyaye, had thanked Governor Eno for his support and for granting the NDDC the opportunity to host the competition in the state.
Iyaye noted that the success of the event would not have been possible without the Governor’s cooperation and commitment.
He saw the festival as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims at gathering youths across the Niger Delta to motivate young talents, and called on prospective volunteer hosts to indicate their interest in enhancing the effective planning of subsequent editions of the festival.
