Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has reaffirmed his commitment to sports development as a pathway to youth empowerment and talent discovery, with focus on grassroots development as the State commenced the 2026 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival.
Governor Eno stated this while receiving the Unity Torch marking the commencement of the second edition of the State Sports Festival at the Governor’s Office Complex, Uyo.
Describing sports as a “multi-billion-dollar industry,” the Governor said his administration would continue to equip young people with the skills and opportunities required to harness the sector’s economic potential.
He said the annual festival had become an important platform for discovering and nurturing grassroots talents, noting that the maiden edition held in 2025 had already produced impressive results.
“Last year, we held the Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival as part of the development of youths and sports in our State, as encapsulated in the ARISE Agenda,” he said.
“The results of this event have been impressive and heartwarming, as several quality sports talents among our youths have been discovered to represent even the country in international sports tournaments,”
Governor Eno recalled that Akwa Ibom recorded a strong performance at the recently concluded Niger Delta Games in Benin City, winning 16 gold, 17 silver and 22 bronze medals.
“Just recently, the State made history by providing three athletes in the country’s contingent to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and they all came back with medals,” Eno highlighted.
“Edidiong Umofia won gold in weightlifting, Ruth Nyong won silver in weightlifting, while Enku Ekuta won bronze in judo.”
In recognition of the feat, the Governor directed the immediate employment of the three Commonwealth Games medalists into the State Ministry of Sports Development.
“Our athletes continue to make us proud, including Edidiong Umofia, Ruth Nyong and Enku Ekuta, who returned from the Commonwealth Games with gold, silver and bronze medals respectively,” he mentioned.
“I have directed their immediate employment into the State Ministry of Sports Development. We will continue to invest in our young people and create opportunities for them to excel.”
“Sports remains a major part of our youth development agenda, providing opportunities for talent discovery, empowerment and economic growth,” he concluded.
Commissioner for Sports Development, Paul Bassey, commended the Governor’s investment, saying the initiative was positioning Akwa Ibom for greater prominence in Nigerian sports through sustained grassroots talent discovery and development.
