Over 3,000 athletes and officials from nine oil-producing states are set to participate in the Second Niger Delta Games, hosted by Edo State from 20th to 27th February. The event, sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), will feature 17 sports, including football, alongside a cultural night.
Hon. Itiako Ikpokpo, Chairman of Dunamis Icons Limited, the organisers, shared details during a press briefing with the Edo State Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in Benin City yesterday. He emphasised that participating athletes must be under 20 years old and indigenous to their respective states.
Ikpokpo highlighted the importance of grassroots talent identification, urging states to focus on local government levels to discover more sports stars. He criticised the inadequate budgetary allocations for sports development across the federation, stating, “We must go back to Schools Sports to discover more young talents for the country.”
He further lamented the current state of sports management, suggesting that poor administration prevents sports from becoming a significant economic driver. Ikpokpo also condemned the prevalence of cheating in sports nationwide, calling for collective action to curb the trend.
Finally, the Dunamis Icons boss encouraged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to consider Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City as a venue for international football tournaments, citing its comparable quality to Uyo Stadium.
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