Eben Enasco Reporting.
Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has resonated with his administration’s dedication to sports development, in the country.
President Tinubu, who made the statement at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Niger Delta Games in Benin City, Edo State, on Friday, emphasized the role of sports in promoting unity, talent discovery, and national cohesion.
He was represented at the games event by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh.
In his key highlights, Tinubu stressed that sports can bridge ethnic, religious, and social divides, fostering discipline and teamwork among young people.
He noted that the games are about identifying and nurturing young talents, providing a pathway to career development and global recognition.
The President urged the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to invest in initiatives empowering youths and women adding that the people of the region are strong and dignified.
Similarly, the Senate President, Godwill Akpabio represented by the Chairman Sport Committe, Asuquo Ekpeyoung acknowledge the historic venue of the even, deacribing it as a platform for unity.
He assured that the senate will work closely with the region’s games event for sustainability, urging athletes to compete fairly.
The Minister of Regional Development in his remarks, Abubakar Momoh, described sports as a veritable tool for fostering regional integration, healthy rivalry, and national cohesion.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo announced a ₦20 million cash reward for the overall winners and ₦10 million for the runners-up.
Okpebholo maintained that the event will inspire dreams just as he assured of hosting to win while declaring the event opened.
Earlier, the sponsor of the event and
the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, stated that the 2nd Niger Delta Games aims to discover and nurture amateur athletes in the region.
He noted Key Objectives including
identifying and developing young talents, promoting integrity in sports, tackling age falsification, doping, and athlete poaching. He added that the expectation is to see that the second edition outshines the first edition given the careful selection of the age bracket for the event.
He challenged governors cut across the region to support through the funding of the subsequent events stressing that sustaining it remains a top-top priority.
Also, the Chairman of Dunamis-Icon Limited, Sir Itiako Malik Ikpokpo, emphasized, “Take young people off the streets, stop cheating in sports, stop drug abuse, and end age falsification.”
He highlighted Nigeria’s abundant grassroots talent, urging development within local communities.
The games, themed “Beyond Oil: Harnessing Talents,” feature over 3,000 athletes from nine Niger Delta states competing in 16 sports.
The event showcases the region’s rich cultural diversity and sporting excellence, aligning with President Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda and Governor Okpebholo’s SHINE Agenda, prioritizing sustainable youth development.