...as Sports Commissioners Of Niger Delta States Brainstorm In Port Harcourt
The Maiden Edition Of The Niger Delta Sports Festival; A Sports Development Initiative Of The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Has Been Scheduled For Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Between April 1st And 8th, 2025.
The Sports Festival Is Coming As Part Of Events Mapped Out For The 25 Years Anniversary Of The Existence Of The NDDC.
Addressing The Press And Other Participants Friday, 31st Of January, 2025 At The NDDC Headquarters In Port Harcourt, The Chairman Of The Festival Planning Committee; A Former Commissioner For Sports, Who Is Equally The Executive Director, Finance And Administration At The NDDC, Alabo Boma Iyaye hinted that the project was conceived in recognition of the fact that, while the Niger Delta produces a huge percentage of Nigeria’s elite sports men and women, there is urgent need to sustain their output in order to elevate the fortunes of both the region and the nation’s sports, in line with the objectives and drive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He Added that the NDDC had been working with the Project Consultants, Dunamis Icon Limited, for several months, and having achieved several milestones in the preparations, the meeting was called to properly brief the state sports commissioners so that all the stakeholders will be on the same page.
“We considered it imperative to partner with and support the states for the discovery and grooming of talents into national and international stars and enable the region effectively tap into the global sports economy,” he declared.
"So as the NDDC marks its 25th year anniversary, we thought it wise to start with the introduction of the Niger Delta Sports Festival to provide a platform for our teeming youngsters to showcase their talents, and with plans to continue to groom them through support for training and participation in competitions.
"In doing this, one of our major objectives is to drive sports bottom-up from the grassroots, to provide opportunities for our rural folks. In this regard, we have decided that the preliminary trials and selection process shall commence from the local government and federal constituencies."
Iyaye Also Thanked The Managing Director Of The NDDC For The Budgetary Consideration Of Sports Development In The Region, Adding That The Commission Would Continue To Dedicate Attention Towards Sports In The Region As Its Additional Efforts Towards Empowering Youths Of The Region.
He disclosed that the NDDC would be Taking Up A 95% Sponsorship Of The Festival For All The Participating states, While Their States Take Care Of The Remaining 5%.
The Commission Directed Commissioners To Set Up Their State Organizing Committees To Help Work In Synch With The Consultant For The Success Of The Festival.
The Commission also Charged Them To Commence Immediate Actions At The State Levels, Using The Next Two Months For The Preparations Of Athletes For The Festival.
Earlier, the Festival Consultant had hinted that The Event Is Aimed At Re-awakening And Reviving The Region's Sporting Potentials And Dominance In The Country.
Also, Fred Edoreh, Director Of Organization And Partner To the consultant Revealed The 'Dolphin' As The Mascot For The Festival, Which He Said can also be Addressed As "Bros".
"The Niger Delta Is Largely Influenced By The Sea, And One Of The Biggest Characters In The Sea Is The Dolphin, Which Itself, Has Human Semblances.
"Dolphin Is A Friend To Human Beings, And Are Always Available To Defend Man When Under Attack By Sharks As Well As Entertain Us. So, We As Niger Deltans, We Are The Defenders Of This Country. We Are The Oil That Runs The Engine Of Nigeria", The Consultants Explained.
This Is Even As Commissioners Of Sports From The Nine (9) States Of The Niger Delta Comprising Of Imo, Rivers, Cross River, Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ondo And Delta - all endorsed the project on behalf o their various states governments.
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