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Tag: National Sports Festival

  • Asaba 2022: Hosting a successful event is our priority – Okowa

    Asaba 2022: Hosting a successful event is our priority – Okowa

    Tonobok Okowa the co-chairman, of the Local Organizing Committee of the ongoing National Sports Festival, in the Asaba, Delta state capital has noted that the successful hosting of the competition is a big priority than winning it.

    As of the time of filing this report, Delta state is leading the medals table with 69 gold medals and closely followed by Ogun with 10 and Oyo 9  state respectively.

    Meanwhile, Okowa has now stated that topping the table with a wide margin is synonymous with Delta but insist that they want to set a new hosting record in National Sports Festival.

    According to him, the NSF in Asaba is more concerned about putting up a very good outing in hosting so as to complete the outing on the Medals table.

    He said “We have prepared so well for the Games and we believe we have athletes good enough to give a good fight. Delta is used to getting good results anywhere, but we (LOC) have bigger responsibilities here.

    “To have 36 states and Abuja in Asaba for the sports festival is a big task, so, we are more particular about making everyone feel at home to compete in a good atmosphere.

    “We are working hard to ensure a hitch-free event. The facilities are there, but there are many other logistics involved in staging a big event like this. It is our own Olympics, but we are up to the task, having also hosted the African Athletics Championships only a few years back.”

  • Asaba 2022: Delta wins four gold medals in Table Tennis

    Asaba 2022: Delta wins four gold medals in Table Tennis

    The host state, team Delta on Friday won  four gold medals in the para and able body table tennis   at the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF) holding in Asaba the state capital.

    In deaf event, Delta won a gold medal in women’s singles following a 3-0 victory against Lagos to consolidate on the medal the state won in the men’s category of the game.

    The state also won two gold medals in the team events for both men and women in the able body category.

    Team Edo was not left out in the medal haul as they won their first gold medal in the 500 metres Sprint Cycling.

    Isa Momoh finished the best rider in the category to claim the medal for the state.

    Ogbomo Aisosa also won silver medal in the Dart 501 Men’s Singles for the state, after a 1-3 loss to Abia in the finals.

  • ASABA 2022: Delta State wins First Gold Medal

    ASABA 2022: Delta State wins First Gold Medal

    The host state began the festival with a Gold medal, a signal that they are ready to defend the trophy won in Edo State as defending champion   on their home soil.
    Delta state has picked their first Gold medal at the 21st National Sports Festival holding in Asaba, Delta State.
    Team Delta Cyclists beat three other states, Oyo, Plateau and Lagos to emerge winner in the 12km mixed relay decided on Igbuzor road earlier today.
    Edo and Rivers State were disqualified for their inability to present the minimum three female cyclists required for the event. Meanwhile, the official opening ceremony of the festival will hold at the Stephen Keshi Stadium later today.
  • National Sports Festival will attract huge economic benefits to Delta – Gov. Okowa

    National Sports Festival will attract huge economic benefits to Delta – Gov. Okowa

    Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has assured of the state’s readiness to host the 2022 National Sports Festival, scheduled to begin on Wednesday in Asaba.
    The governor gave his words in Asaba on Tuesday following inspection works at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, the venue of the opening ceremony of the sports fiesta.
    He said the state government has put in so much human and material resources to ensure a hitch-free festival.
    “I am here to see that everything is in place for this festival and as you can see the stadium and facilities are all set for the games.
    “You will agree with me that a lot of work and human efforts have been put in here.
    “I can assure you that the games will be starting tomorrow (Wednesday) as scheduled,” Okowa said.
    He commended the contractors and other workers at the stadium who have laboured to deliver on the facilities being put in place.
    The governor said the opening ceremony of the games would be a colourful event that would showcase the rich culture and hospitality of the people of Delta.
    Okowa said that the 13-day sporting event would attract huge economic benefits to the people of the state.
    “With our level of preparedness, there is no doubt that our people and our visitors are going to have wonderful time.
    “I can assure you that it is going to be a good business for our people in the state because this event holds great business potential,” Okowa said.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that small and medium-scale businesses have taken over every available space around the stadium complex.
    A food vendor, Mrs. Anita Okogwu told NAN  that she has recruited five sales girls to assist her to meet up with the demands of the festival.
    “I sell food on the streets here in Asaba in a truck. I have been in this business for over 15 years now.
    “I came here to do business and because of the large crowd already in town, I have employed five girls to assist me.
    “So far, it has been good business, because for the past two days now, I have made good returns. We thank God for this opportunity,” she said.
    Miss Ijeoma Mafuah, who sells soft drinks and bottled water at the stadium gate, said the festival has provided a business atmosphere.
     Mafuah said it has also provided her the opportunity to make ends meet after she lost her teaching job.
    “I have two kids and as a single mother, I have to fend for my kids. Before now, I use to make hair for people for my daily bread.
    “But I can tell you that since on Sunday evening when I came to the stadium here to sell soft drinks and water, it has been good business for me because, I am making gains,” she said.
  • Embrace sports for national cohesion – Bagudu encourages youths

    Embrace sports for national cohesion – Bagudu encourages youths

    Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi has urged Nigerian youths to use sporting activities to promote national cohesion.

    Bagudu states this while receiving the “Torch of Peace and Unity” in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, preparatory to the forthcoming National Sports Festival.

    Newsmen reports that the festival is slated to hold in Asaba, Delta State between Nov. 28 and Dec. 10.

    Newsmen also reports that the torch that signifies beginning of National Sports Festival, will go to all the 36 States of the Federation and Federal Capital Terotery (FCT), Abuja.

    It was first ignited by President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Villa, on Oct. 25.

    The governor lauded officials of the Federal Ministry of Sports for bringing the torch to Birnin Kebbi.
    Bagudu commended Buhari for approving the commencement of the festival shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He said that Kebbi State had fully mobilised to successfully participate in the festival and excel more than it did in 2021.

    While describing sports as more than fun, Bagudu said: “It is competitive and youth should make sports as an important element.

    He urged the youths to work hard and remain dedicated to excell in life, saying: “You can only do better when you are determined to excel, there is no substitute to hard work.

    “Youth should be inspired by the successes of their peers from across the globe. You can only do better in anything if you are determined’, he said.

    Bagudu further said that sports brings honour and fame to nations more than any other vocation or profession and prayed that the sports festival would serve as a motivation and catalyst for national unity.

    He recalled that former Super Eagles players; Daniel Amokachi, Tijjani Babangida and a couple of others who visited Kebbi State to inspire and empower young men and women in order to excell in sports.

    The governor also expressed delight over the feat achieved by an indigene of Kebbi State in professional football, in person of Zaidu Sanusi-Jega who plays for FC Porto of Portugal, describing him as a pride not only to the state but to Nigeria.

    The Zonal Sports Coordinator for North-West and the team leader from the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, Mr Muhammad Kabir-Datti while presenting the Torch of Unity and Peace to the governor, said that the torch symbolised peace and unity and commencement of of the festival.

    According to him, it is the tradition of the sports ministry that the torch should go round all the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory preparatory to the actual commencement of the sports festival.

  • Delta 2022: Matawalle receives festival torch of unity in Gusau

    Delta 2022: Matawalle receives festival torch of unity in Gusau

    Gov. Bello Matawalle on Tuesday received the Torch of Unity for the 21st edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged ” DELTA 2022 at the Government House, Gusau.

    This is contained in a statement issued in Gusau by the Mr Jamilu Iliyasu, Press Secretary to the Governor.
    The National Sports Festival is to begin on Nov. 28 and close on Dec. 10, in Delta.

    Matawalle who received the unity torch participated in the march from Fidelity Bank along Government House road in the city.

    The Northwest Zonal sports Coordinator of Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Malam Muhammad Kabir, presented the torch to Matawalle before embarking on the symbol March.

    Matawalle commended the effort of the Sports Ministry and the various committees for their commitment towards ensuring the successful festival in Delta.

    The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to the development of sports in Zamfara.

    Matawalle noted the importance of sports adding that sports remained a unifying platform for Nigerians.

    The governor assured Zamfara Athletes of government’s support for them to be participate at the Festival in Delta State.

    He said state was proud of the emergence of its illustrious son, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

    He assured that the state would support the new NFF president bring in new innovations into football for the benefit of the youth.

    Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, Alhaji Habibu Yuguda Gusau described the festival as an avenue where Athletes for talent display for both national and international competition and career building.

    The Adviser said that the ministry had selected the best and brightest Athletes to represent the state in all the competitions in the 21st edition of the National Sports festival.

    He assured the Governor that the athletes would win medals for the state at the event.
    The special Adviser received the Torch of Unity from the representative of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports and handed it over to the Governor.

    Meanwhile the Northwest Zonal Coordinator, Muhammad Kabir told the Governor that the Torch of Unity movement signified the participation of the State at the Festival.

    Nigerian Stanndard reports that Delta was declared winner of NSF in Edo 2020.
    NAN reports that team Delta emerged as the champions of the 20th NSF at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Edo.

    Team Delta topped the medals table after winning 158 gold, 116 silver, and 110 bronze, while Team Edo, the host, came second with 129 gold, 104 silver and 108 bronze. Team Bayelsa finished a distant third with 56 gold, 55 silver, and 58 bronze.

    The victory in Benin city is Team Delta’s sixth consecutive NSF triumph.

  • [Videos] National Sports Festival: Protest rocks Surulere over removal of para and able sports

    [Videos] National Sports Festival: Protest rocks Surulere over removal of para and able sports

    Protesters have taken to the street of Surulere, Lagos state to express their dissatisfaction at the removal of some para and able sports from the forthcoming National Sports Festival (NSF).

    Unconfirmed reports gathered have it that protesters are not happy with the fact that the NSF which is a Nigerian Olympics & Paralympics event, held every two years to keep all athletes from every state in shape, and also to discover new talents, have some para and able sports removed.

    It was also gathered that the introduction of other countries like Ghana, Cameroon, Cote d’ivoire, Guinea, Benin Republic and Sierra Leone to present teams that would participate in the tournament, defeated the purpose of the game.

    A video shared at the scene of the protest, shows protesters kicking tear gas shot at them by security operatives.\

    See video below:

     

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  • Asaba hosts National Sports Festival 2022

    Asaba hosts National Sports Festival 2022

    The National Council on Sports on Monday approved Nov. 2 to Nov. to 15, 2022 as dates for the 21st National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State.

    Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, disclosed this in Asaba during the Council’s extra- ordinary meeting.

    The minister’s Special Assistant on Multimedia, Toyin Ibitoye, in a statement, quoted the minister as assuring of a befitting festival at “Asaba 2022”.

    “This meeting today puts us at the cusp of another National Sports Festival (NSF) which we refer to as our own Olympics.

    “The National Council on Sports meeting today has become necessary in order to update Council on developments, and deliberations on issues that concern the hosting of the 21st National Sports Festival which Delta State had earlier won the rights to host in November 2022.

    “Interestingly, Delta State came first at the recently concluded Edo 2020.

    “Now, we are happy that they have the opportunity not just to host, but to validate their first position,” Dare said.

    The minister said the ministry has been working closely with Delta State to fine-tune preparations for the bi-annual festival.

    “Arising from the award of the hosting rights to Delta State, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has continued to engage the Host State on the need to fine-tune the road map in preparation for the NSF,” Dare added.

    He commended Gov. ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State for his immense contribution to sports development in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

    Dare stressed that the feat achieved by the nation at the just concluded Tokyo Olympics won’t have been possible without the 12 athletes adopted by the governor under the ministry’s Adopt-an-Athlete initiative.

    ” He single-handedly adopted the largest number of athletes and we are glad that out of the two medals we won, one of them was won by one of the athletes adopted by the governor. That is Ese Brume,” the minister said.

    Dare said as part of efforts to upgrade the Festival, the ministry in collaboration with the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), has established a Department that is solely responsible for the Festival and Para-Sports.

    Gov. Okowa, in his remarks, thanked the minister for the opportunity to host the Festival, promising to not only surpass the standards of Edo 2020, but make the 21st edition of the games, the best in its history.

    The highpoint of the event was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the hosting of the games by Gov. Okowa and the minister.

  • Age cheats at National Youth Games are in for trouble – Sports ministry

    Age cheats at National Youth Games are in for trouble – Sports ministry

    Age cheats at the October National Youth Games in Ilorin will be severely dealt with, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development warned in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Mr Bode Durotoye, Director of Grassroots Sports Development in the ministry gave the warning and said offending states or athletes would not go scot-free.

    He said machinery had been put in place to fish out and sanction age cheats and other sharp practices by teams participating in the annual games.

    Durotoye noted that elimination for eight team sports had been concluded in the six geo-political zones of the country.

    The games are scheduled to hold from Oct. 10 to Oct. 19 at the University of Ilorin sports complex.

    The 36 states of the federation and the FCT are expected to participate at the weeklong sporting event, an avenue for discovering young talents.

  • AMAZING FEAT! Delta wins 20th National Sports Festival with events to spare

    AMAZING FEAT! Delta wins 20th National Sports Festival with events to spare

    Defending champions Delta on Tuesday won more gold medals to gain an unassailable lead and put a gap between them and the rest at the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF).

    Team Delta took their tally to a total of 298 medals, comprising 124 gold, 91 silver and 83 bronze, to maintain their lead and mathematically emerge champions of the festival.

    What this means is that, with just a few events to be decided and on the festival’s penultimate day, Team Delta have retained their title again.

    This is based on the medals table released by the festival’s Games Services Unit as at 4:33 p.m. on Tuesday.

    Hosts Edo, Delta’s nearest challengers, will now need to win 21 gold medals at least to upstage them.

    The hosts presently have 103 gold, 97 silver and 85 bronze for a total of 285 medals.

    Bayelsa are a distant third with 48 gold, 42 silver and 49 bronze for a total of 139 medals, while Rivers are in fourth place.

    They have 27 gold, 27 silver and 47 bronze for a total of 101 medals, ahead of Lagos in fifth place with 22 gold, 27 silver and 43 bronze medals.

    Akwa Ibom are in sixth place with 77 medals, made up of 17 gold, 21 silver and 39 bronze, edging Oyo state into seventh place with just a two-medal advantage.

    Oyo state are with 17 gold, 19 silver and 28 bronze for a total of 64 medals.

    In eighth position are Ogun with 13 gold, 14 silver and 31 bronze for a total of 58 medals, while Kano state are ninth.

    They have 11 gold, 16 silver and 29 bronze for a total of 56 medals.

    Plateau are 10th with eight gold, nine silver and 15 bronze for a total of 32 medals.

    Abia, Imo, Cross River, FCT, Ondo state, Anambra, Kwara, Nasarawa state, Kaduna state and Bauchi state occupy the 11th to 20th positions in that order.

    Niger, Ebonyi, Enugu state, Ekiti, Borno, Osun, Gombe state, Zamfara, Yobe, Katsina state, Kebbi, Kogi, Adamawa, Sokoto state, Benue and Taraba also occupy the 21st to 36th positions respectively.

    Jigawa bring up the rear with no medal won after 10 days of competition.

    The festival which got underway with the arrival of athletes and officials on April 2 got into competition mode on April 6.

    The festival tagged “Edo 2029” will officially end on Wednesday, with all participants scheduled to depart on Thursday.