Niger Delta Games, a fast track for future Olympians — Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Daniel Igali

By Mishael Emmanuel and Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye 

  

 

  

The Commissioner, Bayelsa State Ministry of Sports Hon. Daniel Igali, has endorsed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for creating and supporting the Niger Delta Games.

 

The Honourable Commissioner gave this verdict on Monday, in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG at the sidelines of the 2nd edition of the annual muti-sport event tagged, Edo 2026, as he expressed gratitude to the Commission for turning the Games into a deliberate talent-discovery mechanism for young athletes.

 

“I want to profusely thank the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for this worthwhile initiative. The initiative of making the Niger Delta Games (NDG), an annual event but also making it an Under-20 event. Infact, this is what makes it a competition of discovery of young athletes,” Hon. Igali, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist, stated.

  

Hon. Daniel Igali, who doubles as a board member of United World Wrestling (UWW), was thoroughly convinced that Edo 2026 was a worthy improvement from the first, highlighting improved competitiveness, better transport and sporting facilities arrangements as tangible progress. He also talked on the emotional impact and personal gains for the young athletes, citing competitive exposure and experience building. 

 

“The 2nd edition has been very memorable, it been better than the first edition by a mile. Young athletes are competing against each other, many of who are travelled out of their State for the first time, are now in Benin competing for Glory for their States.

 

“The facilities are of course top notch, the officiating, transportation, everything has improved from the first edition.”

 

Igali, the first elected President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), maintained that sustained investment in the Niger Delta gives it regional advantage for producing future champions, stating that they will produce athletes who would cascade from grassroots to elite success, even winning medals at the Olympics, if the momentum, was kept for several cycles.

 

“I just hope that we can keep this going because this gives the Niger Delta States a little bit of an edge above every other State in the country and I believe that if we sustain the momentum, give this another 4, 6, 8 years Nigeria can't go to the Olympics and come back without a medal at all.”

 

The 52 year old administrator, who holds a Masters degree in criminology from the Simon Fraser University, insisted that stakeholders interested in Sports Development can’t rely only on State budgets adding that the Bayelsa State Ministry of Sports Development is already partnering with sponsors and calling for public-private collaboration.

 

“To have an all encompassing sports environment, you can't rely alone on the State Government to do it. So the Bayelsa State Ministry of Sports Development has been partnering with different sponsors and partners in the interest of the overall and overarching sports development framework we have in Bayelsa State,” The man who won three straight NAIA Championships with a perfect 116-0 record in Wrestling, concluded.

 

As the 2nd Niger Delta Games nears the business end, it is proving to be a powerful talent-discovery pipeline — with it's policy change bringing first-time travellers and upgraded facilities together to build future champions. And continued investment over multiple cycles is certain to raise bar further.

 

OUR COVERAGE OF THE 2ND EDITION OF THE NIGER DELTA GAMES IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:

 

★ The Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations, Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), Mrs Sabina Chikere 

 

★ Emmanuel Egbele, CEO/Founder, Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Classics

★ The President, Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation, Olumide Oyedeji (OLY)