Akwa Ibom governor offers jobs to three Commonwealth Games medalists
Akwa Ibom State Governor in Nigeria Umo Eno has offered immediate employment to three athletes who won medals at the Commonwealth Games. They are to receive jobs at the state Ministry of Sports Development, Premium Times Nigeria reports.
Reward for athletes
Eno announced the offer on Friday in Uyo during a Unity Torch reception ceremony that launched the 2026 Akwa Ibom Sports Festival. The jobs were offered to Edidiong Umofia, who won gold in weightlifting, Ruth Nyong, a silver medalist in weightlifting, and Enku Ekuta, who won a bronze medal in judo.
According to the governor, the employment is meant to reward the athletes for their results and motivate them to achieve more. He also described sports as a multibillion-dollar industry and said the state administration seeks to provide young people with skills and opportunities to tap into its economic potential.
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State sports festival
Eno called the annual sports festival an important component of sports development, particularly for identifying and training talent at the local level. The first festival was held in 2025 as part of the ARISE Agenda youth and sports initiative. According to the governor, athletes were identified in the state after the event who went on to represent Nigeria at national and international competitions.
The governor also noted that at the recent Niger Delta Games in Benin City, Akwa Ibom State won 16 gold, 17 silver, and 22 bronze medals. Athletes from the state represented Nigeria in judo, wrestling, athletics, and weightlifting. According to him, three athletes from Akwa Ibom were included in Nigeria’s team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and each returned with a medal.
State Commissioner for Sports Development Paul Bassey said the event marked the start of the second Akwa Ibom Sports Festival after the successful staging of the first one in 2025. He thanked the governor for investments in sports and youth development and for the initiative, which, he said, creates opportunities to identify talent at the local level.
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