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South-South Boy, Girl Teams Retain PwC/NCF U-17 Tourney Trophy In Abuja

Published

3 years ago

February 21, 2024

Joel Ajayi

For the fourth times the Male team from the South-South region on Sunday in Abuja for the third consecutive time emerged winner of 2024 edition of PwC/NCF Under-17 Cricket National Championships in Abuja.

The tournament, in its fifth edition, has seen the two sides dominate the competition since inception.

South Male and Female team showed sheer dominance in the competition, winning all games and eventually claiming the title.It’s the fifth consecutive win for the ladies and the fourth for the male team.

In the game played on Sunday at the Cricket Pitch inside Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Package B in Abuja, the girls game saw the defending champions South/South again pitched against South East as the South South win by 35 runs.

In the Female third place, South West defeated North West by 6 wickets.
In Male final played earlier the South South defeated South West with 50 runs to emerged the winner of 2024 edition of the tournament.

While in the third place, North West beat South East by 24 runs.

In his speech the Minister of Youth and Sports, Senator John Enoh who was represented by Mr Olumide Bamiduro expressed I am very impressed. Thanks to the President of the NCF for bringing in PwC, what we need, just like in other sports, is more sponsorships to come in to support the NCF in carrying out these sponsorships will take young kids away from social crime.

Speaking on the sideline of Cricket participating in the All Africa games and Olympic, the Minister said our expectation is very high, it’s a very good development. First of all, that cricket is joining the All Africa Games family. What you probably don’t know is that cricket is also joining the Olympic family. So those two events are very, very significant to the world of cricket”

Speaking shortly after the 2023 successful event, President of Cricket Federation, Uyi Akpata who was represented by South East Board member, Mr Okoro revealed that the Price water Cooper sponsorship is no doubt giving milage to the development of Cricket Federation in the country.

However, after the days of event the individuals awards was giving to players who distinguished themselves during the competition.

The Best Batter was presented to Andrew Abah of North West and the Most Valuable Player ,MVP, was presented to Joseph Omonkhobhio of South South.
While Daniel Sunday of South South was adjudge Best Fielder

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Eight Athletes, 11 Medals: Applauding Asagba’s Sports Leadership At DELSU

Published

2 weeks ago

October 14, 2026

The Gleamer

By Godspower Odedede

Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, has recorded an impressive outing at the 15th West Africa University Games (WAUG) 2026, winning 11 medals with just eight athletes who represented the university in only three sporting events.

The university won seven gold, two silver and two bronze medals to occupy seventh position on the medal table, an achievement that underscores the potential of its athletes and the importance of purposeful investment in university sports.

DELSU participated in the men’s 100-metre sprint with two athletes, women’s judo with two athletes, and swimming with four male athletes. Despite the limited number of athletes and sporting events, the university’s medal haul was a commendable performance and a source of pride for the institution.

The achievement deserves particular recognition given the restricted scope of DELSU’s participation. With representation in only three sports, the university demonstrated that focused preparation, adequate support and the effective deployment of available talent can produce encouraging results at major university competitions.

A major highlight of DELSU’s preparation for WAUG 2026 was the approval by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Samuel Ogheneovo Asagba, for a quality two-week training programme for the university’s athletes in Asaba.

The camp provided the athletes with an opportunity to prepare using the excellent and up-to-date training facilities available in the state capital.

The initiative is particularly noteworthy as it represents a significant commitment to structured preparation for university sports. Rather than relying solely on athletes’ natural abilities, the training programme recognised the importance of preparation, access to appropriate facilities and institutional investment in performance.

Professor Asagba deserves commendation for this intervention and for demonstrating a willingness to provide practical support for sports development at DELSU. The university’s WAUG performance offers an encouraging indication of what can be achieved when athletes receive purposeful preparation and administrative backing.

The Vice-Chancellor’s broader vision for sports infrastructure is also encouraging. Plans are understood to be underway for the construction of an ultra-modern sports complex for the university in the near future. If delivered as anticipated, the facility could significantly strengthen DELSU’s capacity for athlete development, training, competitions and sports science activities.

Such infrastructure would also support the university’s ambitions to improve its performance at national and international university games. A modern sports complex could provide a foundation for more systematic talent identification, performance monitoring, coaching development and the preparation of athletes across a wider range of sporting events.

Special recognition must also go to Mrs Epebi-Ebi Noah, the swimming coach, who was physically present at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, with the DELSU swimming team during the competition. Her presence and involvement underline the importance of coaching support, technical guidance and close supervision of athletes during major sporting events.

The performance also calls for commendation of the Chairman of the University Sports Committee, Professor Ochuko Nabofa, whose leadership has brought renewed attention and energy to sports development at DELSU. His role in supporting the university’s sports administration and helping to strengthen the sporting environment deserves recognition.

Similarly, the Acting Director of Sports, Peter Omojuwa, deserves commendation for his administrative responsibilities and contribution to the university’s sporting programme. The Chief Coach, Lucky Ajaino, should also be recognised for his role in the technical preparation and development of DELSU athletes.

The combined efforts of the university management, sports committee, sports administrators and coaches are essential to sustaining progress. While medals provide a visible measure of success, the systems established to prepare athletes and support their development are equally important to the long-term growth of university sports.

DELSU’s WAUG achievement follows another notable outing at the last Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) Games, where the university finished fourth. That result was regarded as one of the finest performances in the institution’s sporting history and strengthened expectations that DELSU could become an even more formidable force in university sports.

The latest WAUG performance provides another reason for optimism. However, the university’s participation in only three events also reveals an opportunity for further growth. Expanding participation across more sports, identifying talented students and improving access to specialised training could help DELSU compete for a higher position on future medal tables.

The proposed sports complex, if realised, could play a central role in this expansion. It should ideally be supported by sustained funding, modern equipment, qualified coaches, athlete welfare programmes and collaboration with relevant sports science professionals. These measures would help ensure that infrastructure investment translates into measurable improvements in performance.

The university could also consider strengthening performance analysis, sports medicine, strength and conditioning, talent identification and systematic monitoring of athletes’ progress. Such an approach would help transform individual successes into a sustainable university-wide sports development programme.

DELSU’s performance at WAUG 2026 is worthy of celebration. Eight athletes competed in just three sporting events and returned with 11 medals, including seven gold. The result reflects the potential within the university and provides a strong basis for building a more ambitious sports programme.

Professor Asagba’s approval of the two-week training camp and the prospect of an ultra-modern sports complex offer reasons to look forward to the next phase of DELSU sports development. The challenge now is to sustain the momentum, broaden participation and ensure that the university’s sporting ambitions are matched by consistent investment and effective implementation.

With continued support from the Vice-Chancellor, the University Sports Committee, the Directorate of Sports, coaches and other stakeholders, DELSU can build on its recent achievements and strengthen its position among Nigeria’s leading sporting universities.

The message from WAUG 2026 is clear: DELSU has demonstrated what a small but well-supported contingent can achieve. With broader participation, sustained preparation and modern sporting infrastructure, the university has the potential to accomplish even greater things.

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