Sports
17th NSF: A Statement Of Excellence, Peace, Security
At last, the 17th National Sports Festival tagged “Garden City Games” is here in the city of Port Harcourt. The formal opening ceremony takes place on Sunday at Nigeria’s Mount of Liberation, the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.
Port Harcourt city and indeed Rivers State by hosting the 17th edition of the Games has joined the league of Nigerian cities and states that have hosted the National Festival more than once after Port Harcourt hosted for the first time in the history of the games in 1988.
In 1988, the Alfred Diete Spiff Sports Centre otherwise called Civic Centre was the highest sports facility in the state.
Today, Rivers State and Port Harcourt city in particular now has an ultra modern sports complex at the Greater Port Harcourt city axis housing world class facilities such as swimming pools, hockey pitch, tennis court and a 25 thousand capacity Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium nearing completion among others.
The presence of the new sports complex does not in any way undermine the state of the art sporting facilities at the University of Port Harcourt, Choba, the Liberation Stadium and at the old hawks, Civic Centre in the heart of Port Harcourt city.
Besides, what is probably significant is the corporate philosophy and the ideals of the Garden City Games to the host state and the nation at large.
For instance, the logo of the games in Port Harcourt has key elements which include among others things the map of Rivers State with the blue colour evincing the peaceful and hospitable nature of the Government and people of Rivers State.
The Logo further shows a calm flowing river which portrays abiding love existing among the 23 Local Government Areas while the icons bearing the Festival Torch of Unity represents the athletes of the participating states symbolising the promotion of natural interaction.
On the other hands, the colours of green and white represent national colours, natural beauty and friendly environment for the games while the orange colour is an encouraging factor urging athletes to exert energy and passion to win laurels.
Similarly, the Garden City Games has a mascot named “IBIKA” which means good friend for the 17th National Sports Festival.
In this regard, a sea mammal, the Dolphin, was aptly chosen because of his friendly disposition to humans and wonderful maneuver among obstacle with great ease and style.
Rivers State was compared to Dolphin because its people are hospitable, friendly drawing their linguistic diversity and common aquatic culture and having the ability to handle its challenges.
The costume of the mascot epitomises a combination of the rich cultural heritage of Rivers State, love for Nigeria and the relevance of National Sports Festival to national integration.
It is pertinent to point out that the bowler hat, with the festival Logo crest, firmly seated on the head of the dolphin is indicative of dignity of the Rivers man while the Nigerian map cuddled with both fins bears the insignia of various sports exhibiting the love sportsman and women have for the nation, Nigeria.
Interestingly, the National Sports Festival was established in 1973 to midwife and promote friendship, unity and national integration for a nation that just came out of a bitter civil war.
The Yakubu Gowon administration envisaged that by taking the festival to each state in every two year, the much-needed love would no doubt permeate the fabric of the Nigerian state and heal the bitter wound inflicted by the civic war.
It is on record that Lagos the capital city then hosted the inaugural National Sports Festival in 1973 and hosted again in 1975 while Kaduna hosted in 1977, Ibadan in 1979, Bennin City in former Bendel State hosted in 1981, lIorin, Kwara State in 1985 and Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital hosted in 1988.
The torch of national unity of the festival moved to Bauchi as Bauchi hosted the 12th edition in 1991, Benue 1996, Imo 1998 and Bauchi again in 2000.
Benin City in the present day Edo State hosted in 2002, Abuja the Federal Capital Territory hosted in 2004, Abeokuta Ogun State in 2006 while the 16th edition also called Kada Games scheduled for 2008, however, took place in 2009 and now the 17th edition takes place in Port Harcourt city.
Since Port Harcourt city and indeed Rivers State is hosting for the second time, Rivers State is not new to hosting national sports festival and National Sports Festival is not new to Rivers State.
The messages depicted by the Logo and mascot are clear attestation to the fact that Rivers State is making a statement inviting Nigerians to enjoy the of love, friendship and peaceful co-existence in the state.
Already, the state government has planned a wonderful and remarkable formal opening ceremony consequent upon which the opening ceremony was shifted by one day from Saturday 2nd to Sunday 3rd July 2011 at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.
As the formal opening ceremony takes place this weekend, various state contingents have started arriving the state and the city will be host to over twelve thousand athletes and officials.
This figure does not include tens of thousand of sports loving Nigerians that will throng the city as well business men and women who will take advantage of the influx of people to transact various legitimate businesses.
The Government must therefore lubricate its machinery agencies and get set to swing into action when duty calls beginning from the arrival of contingents.
These agencies include security, health and emergency and transportation interallia while religious organisations, civil society groups and other voluntary organisation must be ready to render selfless service to guests, and participating athletes and officials to make the games a success.
The State itself stands to benefit from Micro economic activities associated with the influx of guests, athletes and officials for the Garden City Games.
In this regard, taxi and bus drivers as well as those in the hospitality business must be fair and honest to guest in the discharge of their duties.
Above all, organisers should ensure that all facilities earmarked for the games are tested before actual usage.
But one thing is clear: the Garden City games in Port Harcourt is a commitment to uphold national unity and a statement of peaceful coexistence among the diversed people of Rivers State.
Welcome to the 17th National Sports Festival, Garden City Games 2011.
Sika writes in from Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation, RSBC.
Baridorn Sika
Among the new NBA draftees are Felix Okpara, Ebuka Okorie, Zubby Ejiofor, Otega Oweh, Tobi Lawal and Ugonna Onyenso.
Felix Okpara (selected 46th overall by the Orlando Magic) and Ugonna Onyenso (selected 53rd overall by the Houston Rockets) marked the second time that two players from Nigeria were selected in the same NBA Draft.
Onyenso is the third NBA Academy Africa alumnus and 15th NBA Academy alumnus overall to be drafted into the NBA.
Ebuka Okorie of Stanford University was the 17th overall pick by Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a planned trade.
In the arrangement, the Thunder will send the draft rights to Okorie to the Memphis Grizzlies who will send his draft rights to the Detroit Pistons).
Zuby Ejiofor was drafted from St John’s University as the 23rd overall by the Atlanta Hawks, just as Otega Oweh of the University of Kentucky was selected as the 41st overall pick by the Miami Heat, as part of a planned trade, which will see the Heat sending the draft rights to Oweh to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Oweh was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the league’s coaches in both seasons at Kentucky (2024-25, 2025-26).
He led the Wildcats in scoring (18.6 ppg) and steals (1.8 spg) as a senior in 2025-26 and also scored a career-high 35 points vs. Santa Clara in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. He is also the brother of Washington Commanders defensive end Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Felix Okpara of University of Tennessee, who was selected 46th overall by the Orlando Magic, earned 2025-26 SEC All-Defensive Team honors as a senior in his second season at the University of Tennessee.
He ranks second in programme history in blocks per game at 1.6 and is one of four Tennessee players to record multiple 50-block seasons.
Okpara finished third in the SEC in blocks during the 2024-25 season, averaging 1.7 per game, and ranked seventh in 2025-26 at 1.5 per game.
Prior to Tennessee, Okpara played two seasons at Ohio State and was in 2023-24, ranked 11th nationally in blocks, averaging 2.4 per game.
Okpara grew up playing football in Nigeria and picked up basketball shortly before moving to the U.S. in August 2018.
Tobi Lawal of Virginia Tech, who was selected 48th overall by the Dallas Mavericks, did not pick up a basketball until he was 16, growing up in London and starring for the City of London Academy before crossing the Atlantic.
At Lee Academy Prep, he was dominant, averaging 14.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals while shooting 67 per cent from the floor.
Ugonna Onyenso of the University of Virginia was selected 53rd overall by the Houston Rockets, but the Rockets will send his draft rights to the New York Knicks, who will then send his draft rights to the Detroit Pistons, marking the second time that two players from Nigeria were selected in the same NBA Draft.
Onyenso spent three years at NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal, making him the third NBA Academy Africa alumnus and 15th NBA Academy alumnus overall to be drafted into the NBA.
At 17 years old, Onyenso became the youngest player ever to suit up for the Nigerian senior national team. The Owerri-born center first picked up basketball after a local coach pulled him away from soccer, then attended NBA Academy Africa before relocating to Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.
Also in the latest NBA draft are AJ Dybantsa, who has ties to the Republic of the Congo and Jamaica, Nate Ament of Rwanda, who is the second player of Rwandan heritage to be drafted into the NBA after Frank Ntilikina, selected eighth overall by the New York Knicks in 2017.
Ghana’s Jack Kayil and Narcisse Ngoy of the Central African Republic are also among the new NBA intakes.
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), on Friday, warned newly promoted clubs that failure to meet the league’s licensing and infrastructure requirements could bar them from playing at home or even jeopardize their participation in the top flight.
The NPFL recalled that some clubs were relocated from their home venues last season after failing to meet the required standards.
The Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL, Davidson Owumi, disclosed this in Abuja, during an orientation and induction programme organised for the owners and general managers of the four newly promoted clubs ahead of the 2026/27 NPFL season.
He said the programme was designed to acquaint the clubs with the league’s operational procedures and club licensing requirements before the new season begins.
According to him, the early engagement provides clubs with enough time to address any shortcomings before the commencement of the season.
“The purpose is orientation and induction, to ensure they are acquainted with the basics of what we do in the NPFL and to break down the club licensing process so everyone understands what is expected.
“We still have plenty of time before the league starts. This is the appropriate time to acquaint them with what they will be facing. Those who cannot meet the requirements will know early enough.”
Owumi added that the league had yet to assess the newly promoted clubs for specific deficiencies, explaining that the current exercise was focused on education rather than evaluation.
“We are just interacting with them for the first time. We have not tested them in any way. After this education, if they are unable to meet the requirements in the coming weeks, then we will know those that are deficient.”
The NPFL chief stressed that the league would continue to enforce strict compliance with infrastructure standards, including stadium, security and medical requirements.
“Any club that does not meet the standard requirements will be moved from its home ground. We have always enforced these rules because professional football demands the right infrastructure.” Owumi said.
Speaking on behalf of one of the promoted clubs, Chairman of Sporting Lagos, Godwin Enakhena, described the orientation as timely and beneficial, saying it exposed participants to important aspects of the league’s operations that many may not have been aware of.
He said while some club officials had previous experience in the NPFL, the seminar remained valuable because learning in football administration is continuous.
Expressing confidence in the readiness of the promoted clubs, he noted that Sporting Lagos, Wikki Tourists, Barau FC and Doma United were not newcomers to the top flight and understood the demands of competing in the NPFL.
Enakhena said: “The day you stop learning and reading, then there’s a big problem. Even for me, there were issues discussed today that opened my mind. I would have been ignorant of those things if I wasn’t at this seminar.
“You don’t struggle to gain promotion and then you’re not ready for the battle. Based on my conversations with the other club managers, I can assure you the four teams are ready.”
Enakhena also welcomed the increasing number of privately owned clubs in the NPFL, describing it as a positive development for Nigerian football.
He said the success of privately run clubs would encourage more investors to enter the game and expressed hope that they would eventually make up the majority of clubs in the top division.
“I’m seeing more private clubs getting to the Premier League. Let’s have 70 per cent privately owned clubs and 30 per cent government clubs. That would be a fantastic development for Nigerian football.”
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