Top Edo State Sports administrator hails Niger Delta Sports Festival

...Promises “Game-Changing” second edition

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye 

   

  

  

The Executive Director of Sports Development, Edo State Sports Commission, (ESSC), Mrs. Sabina Ekhaisomi Chikere, has hailed the Niger Delta Sports Festival as a “game changer” for regional unity, youth development, and the sports economy.

Backed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the flagship intervention agency for the nine Niger Delta states, the festival has quickly grown into a major platform for youth engagement and human capital development across the region.

Speaking on Edo State’s readiness to host the second edition next year, Mrs. Chikere said the state is poised to set a new benchmark for excellence.

“Edo State will set the standard when we host the second edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival,” she declared.

She praised the state government, led by His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo, for accepting the hosting rights and backing the vision.

Mrs. Chikere also extended a warm invitation to the eight other participating states.

“Our facilities are standard and our people are welcoming, so come and let us spoil you,” she said with confidence.

To ensure widespread participation and community excitement, the Commission is considering staging some events at the University of Benin.

“We want people in that part of the city to also feel and enjoy the fun,” she noted.

With Edo expecting over 3,000 athletes, coaches, journalists, and technical officials, plus an additional 5,000 spectators, Chikere emphasized that the state is fully equipped for a festival of this magnitude.

“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors necessary to host an event of this scale. We need facilities that work for the games and Edo has them,” she maintained.

As the region gears up for the festival’s second edition, Edo State is positioning itself not just as host, but as the heartbeat of a growing sporting renaissance in the Niger Delta.