…Pledges Continuous Grooming
Uyo Township Stadium came alive on Saturday as Governor Umo Eno declared the 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival closed with millions of naira splashed on athletes, coaches, and Local Government contingents.
The event, themed ‘Nurturing Talents, Promoting Tourism,’ featured 18 sporting activities with contingents from all 31 Local Government Areas, parading over 3,600 athletes in what Governor Eno described as a huge success after more than a decade.
At the colourful closing and medals presentation ceremony, the State Chief Executive commended stakeholders for their support and said his administration would sustain investment in the multi-million-naira sports industry.
He noted that talents discovered at the grassroots must be nurtured to stardom, revealing that medalists at the ongoing competition would undergo further training at the State Sports Academy in Eket.
In line with his promise, the governor rolled out cash rewards: ₦500,000 for each gold medalist, ₦250,000 for silver, and ₦150,000 for bronze winners.
Local government areas that excelled were also rewarded, with Itu LGA, which emerged overall best with 70 trophies, receiving ₦15 million. Uyo LGA, second with 47 trophies, got ₦10 million, while Nsit Atai, third with 39 trophies, was awarded ₦5 million. All other participating LGAs received ₦2.5 million each.
Governor Eno also announced ₦200,000 for sports supervisors across the 31 LGAs, stressing that sports tourism will henceforth feature prominently in the calendar of the state.
On the recent impressive outing of Akwa Ibom at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, the governor praised Team Akwa Ibom for returning with 11 gold, 9 silver, and 10 bronze medals.
He rewarded gold medalists with ₦500,000 each, silver medalists ₦250,000, and bronze medalists ₦150,000, while team managers smiled home with ₦5 million.
The sports-loving Governor said sports remain a veritable industry which goes beyond entertainment, adding that it is a platform for talent discovery and empowerment. He assured that his administration will continue to support young athletes to reach national and international stardom.
Governor Eno urged organisers to collaborate with the State Ministry of Education to revive inter-house sports and inter-school football competitions, saying many future stars are discovered at such platforms.
The 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival, which kicked off on Monday, September 8, was declared open by the governor, represented by his deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi and drew the curtain five days later on a high note, with 156 gold, 156 silver and 198 bronze medals shared among contingents.
