Bayelsa wins Niger Delta Sports Festival with 42 gold

 By Chioma Onuegbu Uyo 

TEAM Bayelsa has won the maiden edition of the Niger Delta sports festival with 42 gold, 29 silver and 15 bronze medals. 

Bayelsa’s athletes were impressive in their performance in the sporting events featured during the festival. They topped the medal table with 42 gold, 29 silver, and 15 bronze medals, totalling 86.

Over 3,000 athletes participated in the week-long festival from the nine Niger Delta states. 

  The sport event which was sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) served as a platform to showcase raw talent, featured 17 sports.

Delta State came second with 41 gold, 26 silver, and 32 bronze medals. Edo State came third with 23 gold, 63 silver, and 31 bronze, closely trailing the top two.

Rivers State finished fourth with 63 medals, including 21 gold.

 Ondo State claimed fifth place with 43 medals, followed by the host state, Akwa Ibom, in sixth place with 37 medals, while 

Abia and Imo States ended seventh and eight place with 32  and 42 medals respectively 

 Imo placed eighth with 42 medals but fewer golds. while Cross River State came ninth with 31 medals.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the maiden Sports Festival, closing ceremony on Tuesday, at the Uyo Township stadium, the host governor, Umo Eno called for the nurturing of talents discovered during the

Eno who was represented by the Chairman of Uyo Local Government Council, Dr Uwemediimo Udo, congratulated the organisers and participants on a successful festival, and reminded participants that the festival was not all about sports, but building contacts, ideas and good relationships.

“Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom is here in spirit, as he asked that I represent him at this event. He has sent his best wishes to organisers, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and all the participants.

“He said I should inform you that nobody is a loser, as far as this competition is concerned. 

  “He has also asked that not just discovering these talents, but he is interested in nurturing these talents to ensure they achieve their utmost, as far as their areas of specialty are concerned,” He said.

In his remarks, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, of NDDC said that the festival was an avenue to bring people from the nine states of the region to compete among themselves and discover champions, who will represent the region and country.

Ogbuku said that the festival was part of NDDC stakeholders’ engagement as directed by Mr President in line with His Renewed Hope Agenda.

His words, “Implementing the stakeholders’ engagement through the sports festival has brought peace and unity in the region.

“This platform has given you that opportunity to express yourself, and because this platform has given you that opportunity to express yourself.

“It does not matter whether you come last but what is important is that they are athletes in those teams to be selected by scouts”

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