NDDC Sports Festival: Okolieogwo Hails Uzodinma for Supporting Niger Delta Youth Empowerment

By Onyinyechi Nwankwo

The recently concluded Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF), tagged “Uyo 2025”, has continued to draw commendations from stakeholders, with Hon. Willie Okolieogwo, Special Adviser to the Governor of Imo State on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, describing the event as a turning point for youth and sports development in the region.

Okolieogwo, who served as a member of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC), Secretary of the Imo State Liaison Committee (SLC) and representative of the Technical Consulting Team, Dunamis Icon Limited, for the festival, said the event provided a veritable scouting platform for young athletes across the Niger Delta where the next generation of Nigerian champions will be discovered, trained and sponsored for greater competitions.

According to him, the maiden edition of the festival, which was held in April 1 to 9, 2025, brought together contingents from the nine NDDC mandate states including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers, who competed in 17 sporting events such as athletics, football, basketball, swimming, wrestling, table tennis, para-sports, among others.

“The Niger Delta Sports Festival is more than a contest; it is a visionary platform for talent discovery and empowerment. The event has shown that the future of Nigerian sports lies strongly within the Niger Delta region,” he said.

He disclosed that over 40 athletes from Imo State distinguished themselves at the festival, winning several gold, silver and bronze medals, describing their performance as a source of pride to the state and to 3R administration, which he said has been consistent in supporting youth development through sports, education and community initiatives.

“It should be recalled that on Friday, March 7, 2025 at Landmark Event Center, New Owerri, Imo State, the maiden edition tagged ‘Uyo 2025’ which was wholly sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was unveiled and hosted by His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodinma, whose leadership and vision for the Niger Delta youths continue to inspire innovation and excellence,” Okolieogwo stated.

He lauded the Governor for championing policies that promote unity and empowerment beyond Imo borders, describing the Governor’s role in the NDSF as a demonstration of his passion for youth development and his firm belief that sports can serve as an instrument of peace and regional integration.

“When a leader invests in youth and sports, he is investing in peace, productivity and the future. What the Governor has done through this sponsorship is a legacy that will continue to yield fruits for generations,” Okolieogwo added.

Okolieogwo also praised NDDC for initiating and executing the project, saying it was a landmark intervention that has repositioned the region as a hub for sporting talent and regional cooperation.

The festival ended amid excitement, with cultural displays, medal presentations and renewed calls for youth empowerment through sports as a vehicle for peace and regional integration.