Niger Delta Games: ‘Team Bayelsa are in Benin City to Compete’- Igali

By-Alambo Datonye

Commissioner for Sports Development, Daniel Igali says Team Bayelsa are in Benin City to compete for the top gong at the 2nd Niger Delta Games.

Igali who made the assertion in an interview at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in the Edo State capital however acknowledged that the contest for the overall winners at the fiesta would be fierce and stiff.

‘For the past 3 National Sport Festival, we have been in the top three, Third and second twice though in the last edition they said we were third, we believe we were second. So we can’t be considered as also ran. Bayelsa is among the top sporting States in the country. As for the Niger Delta Games, we won the first edition, and this second edition is different. The last one was a senior Festival for age 25 and under, now it’s 19 and under so we are now talking about junior athletes. Whoever wins here will be winning it for the first time. The one we won, no team can win it again so we are standing on a pedestal no team can stand. But, we are here to compete and we believe that we will be one of the top teams here. Across board, we feel that we have assembled a good team, we have a good youth discovery network and there will be very vigorous competition but Bayelsa will be among the top contenders’, he declared.

On why Bayelsa have in the last few years emerged as one of the frontline States in Sports in the country and the Niger Delta, the Commissioner explained that the secret of the success story is due to the support of Governor Douye Diri.

‘Over the past few years especially in the advent of the present Governor, Senator Douye Diri, there has been a new thrust, push and vision because being a former Commissioner for Sport himself when Bayelsa achieved its first highest position in the medals table at the National Sports Festival in 2006 in Abeokuta, so he has come with renewed vigour as funding and everything has improved. So when you now see Bayelsa contesting to be the number one sporting destination in the country, it should not surprise anyone because of the approvals of His Excellency’, Igali asserted.

He remarked that Governor Diri in the twilight of his reign is building two new stadiums including a 30,000 sitting capacity brand new facility at Igbogene, Yenagoa and another 15,000 sized stadium in Sampou in Kolokuma-Opokuma ocal Government Area to prepare grounds for Bayelsa to host the 2028 National Sports Festival.

According to him, this is to bequeath to Governor Diri’s successor, a hundred percent sporting facility which would make Bayelsa continuously relevant.

He stated that this would give athletes in the State and beyond the conducive environment to train and make a mark in national and global competitions.