Sports
Tinubu Flags Off 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, Vows Greater Investment in Sports Development
Joel Ajayi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on Friday officially declared open the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, reaffirming his administration’s unwavering commitment to sports as a catalyst for national unity, youth empowerment, and global competitiveness.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, the President emphasized that sports remain a vital force in building cohesion among Nigeria’s diverse peoples while offering young talents a pathway to international excellence.
“From these young athletes, future national and international stars will emerge. Our government remains committed to nurturing them with the right structures, facilities, and policies to ensure they grow into world-class ambassadors for Nigeria. Sports is not just recreation; it is a unifying force and a driver of national pride,” President Tinubu said.
He further pledged to strengthen grassroots sports programmes across the country, assuring that his government would continue to provide support through the National Sports Commission and other agencies.
“This administration will not relent in its quest to invest in our youth. With discipline, hard work, and the right environment, you our young athletes will carry the green-white-green to podiums around the world,” the President added.
Welcoming participants, the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, praised the Games for uniting the nation through healthy competition. He assured athletes, coaches, and officials of Delta’s readiness to host a befitting championship, urging them to uphold fairness and integrity in all events.
“The National Youth Games have over the years produced stars who now represent Nigeria internationally. We are proud to host once again, and Delta is prepared to give athletes a safe, competitive, and memorable experience,” Governor Oborevwori said.
In his remarks, the Director-General, National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, underscored the significance of the Games in shaping the nation’s sporting future. According to him, the Youth Games remain the foundation for discovering podium athletes who later dominate at continental and global competitions.
“This is where the journey of greatness begins. Compete with heart, uphold fair play, and remember that you carry the hope of your states and the pride of the nation,” Olopade charged.
He added that the Commission under his leadership would intensify efforts to harness talents discovered at the Games through structured training programmes and international exposure.
“Our mission is to ensure that no raw talent is left behind. With sustained investment in youth sports, Nigeria will reclaim its pride of place in global competitions,” he declared.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Hon. Onoriode Oborevwori, assured participants not just a sporting event but a memorable experience.
He urged athletes to compete with discipline, determination and showcase the spirit of sportsmanship.
The ceremony also featured the traditional oath-taking, with Obiagu Faith leading athletes in pledging allegiance to the rules of the Games, while Comrade Obioha George, Director of Sports, Abia State, swore on behalf of coaches and officials.
The Games, featuring 37 sporting events, have drawn contingents from 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Host state Delta, defending champion of all eight editions since inception, now chases a ninth title as Asaba sets the stage for ten days of thrilling competition, talent discovery, and celebration of Nigeria’s unity through sports.”
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
Joel Ajayi
The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.
Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.
In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.
The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.
In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.
At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.
According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.
“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.
Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.
He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.
The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.
He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.
“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.
Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.
The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.
According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.
The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.
It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.
The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.
He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.
“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.
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