Team Bayelsa has claimed the top spot at the maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival, finishing with a total of 86 medals, 42 gold, 29 silver, and 15 bronze, to secure the championship title.
The Bayelsa athletes delivered outstanding performances across the 17 sports featured in the week-long festival, outshining competitors from eight other states in the Niger Delta region.
The event drew over 3,000 athletes and was sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Delta State finished closely behind Bayelsa with 41 gold, 26 silver, and 32 bronze medals, while Edo State came third with 23 gold, 63 silver, and 31 bronze. Rivers State followed in fourth place, racking up 63 medals, including 21 gold.
Ondo State secured the fifth spot with 43 medals. Host state Akwa Ibom came sixth with 37 medals.
Abia and Imo States ended in seventh and eighth place, respectively, with Abia earning 32 medals and Imo collecting 42, but with fewer golds.
Cross River State rounded out the standings in ninth place with 31 medals.
At the festival’s closing ceremony, held at the Uyo Township Stadium on Tuesday, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno, represented by Uyo Local Government Council Chairman Dr. Uwemediimo Udo, praised the NDDC and participants for a successful and impactful event.
“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,” Udo said.
“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 added.
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, also addressed the audience, describing the festival as a unifying initiative that aligns with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and serves as a platform for regional integration and talent discovery.
“Implementing the stakeholders’ engagement through the sports festival has brought peace and unity in the region,” Ogbuku stated.
“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,” he said.
The festival not only highlighted athletic excellence but also emphasized regional unity and the importance of nurturing raw talent for national representation.
