Sports
Principal Bemoans Lack Of Sports Facilities In Schools
The Principal of Community Secondary School Ibotirem in Andoni Local Government, Mr Wilson Saturday Eneyo, has bemoaned the penchant of most secondary schools in the rural areas to neglect supporting activities.
According to Mr Eneyo in an interview recently, the last time his school conducted an inter-house sports was in 2008 and since then, they could not conduct any because of lack of funds. He also said that in the school there was no sports equipment and what he met in 2007 were only javeline and discus. In order to encourage the students, the school authority had to go and borrow some sports equipment from other schools to enable them conduct inter-house sports competition.
“The last time we conducted inter-house sports competition in our school was in 2008 and since then, we have not done any because of logistics and lack of sports facilities.
“The last time we held inter-house sports competition, we went to other schools to borrow some sports equipment, the only ones we have are only javeline and discus presently. This is not encouraging at all,” Eneyo stated.
He went further to call on the state government to come to their aid so as to help them revitalise sports in the school.
“We are saying that government suppose to come to our aid to help us revitalize sports in our school curriculum especially in the rural areas where things are very hard with parents. We are just managing the situation”.
Eneyo, however, suggested that these challenges could be well addressed if the government was committed by remitting some funds to the school for this purpose. That during their days in secondary school it was a normal event.
“Government should device a means of helping schools so that we can find a way of conducting inter-house sports regularly by remitting some funds to schools for this purpose”.
“In our days in secondary school it was a normal affair in the school system, almost in every academic session every year inter-house sports competition had been regular. The mystery was what I did not know because we were all students then, the principal said.
As a community school and also as a new principal that knows the importance of sports in the life of every student, he would call for a PTA meeting and seek for a way forward on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Sports Master, Prince Stephen Okwan, supported the position of the principal and stated that the school had been facing a lot of challenges in the area of sports programmes.
Gold Monday
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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