Wiyakara community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State at the weekend celebrated the founder of the community, Yakara Kuteh, with a football match.

The football match saw Wiyakara All Stars lock horns with Khana All Stars.

Speaking with newsmen after the football match, the Chief of Wiyakara community in Khana Local Government Area, Chief Daate Benson Gbenenwikpo, expressed joy over the football match.

According to him, every country celebrates their Independence Day, adding that likewise they are also celebrating the one who founded their community, Yakara Kuteh.

By: Kiadum Edookor

School of Environmental studies has emerged overall winners of  the just concluded 2026 Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic (CEAPOLY)sports competition.

 School of Business Administration on the other hand lifted the football trophies of the competition for both the male and female categories

According to  results made available to newsmen during the final of the competition, School of Environmental studies won nine  gold, one bronze and three silver medals to win the competition, they were followed by School of Sciences , which got  five gold ,six silver and five bronze medals , while school of information and Communication came third with four gold,three silver and a bronze.

Also school of Business Administration came fourth with three gold, five silver and seven bronze, school of Engineering won the fifth place with two gold, two silver and three bronze, school of legal studies, one gold, three silver and five bronzes while school of financial studies came last with no gold,four silver and three bronze Meanwhile the Rector of The Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Dr Moses Neebe has rated the competition high

Neebe who was represented by the Deputy Rector, Academics, Dr Alapuye Eleki described the competition as one of the best organized so far by the institution.

He said this was made possible by the inclusion of all sporting events, stressing that the situation gave students of the polytechnic the opportunity to showcase their sporting talents.

The Rector also commended the students and officials for their mature behaviour through out the duration of the competition

It would be recalled that the Rector, while declaring opened the competition had  announced the expansion of the expansion of the  competition with the inclusion of athletic events in the competition.

Neebe also said because of the changes , the competition will  also be known as f “Rector’s Sports Competition instead of to Rector’s cup.

He said this was necessary to enable students of the institution showcase and development their talents in all round of sports as well as enable the school to raise a team for key sports competition in the country especially the forthcoming Nigerian polytechnic games coming up next year.

He described it as first of it’s kind in the history of the polytechnic

“The first of its kind, for the first time we are participating in all the sports and basic things. The purpose of doing this is to increase participation, before now it used to be only football lovers but football, though the king of all sports is not the only sport, there are other sports and students with skills in this other sports have been left out previously so this year we decided to carry everyone along.

“Either you’re a participant in one game or sports or the other or you are a lover and admirer of another game or sports and this is why we decided to do it this way.

“And for the first time too we are extending this for a period of two weeks, previously it used to be one week now it is two weeks.

“The reason is because we want everybody not only to watch but to come out and show your own skill in tht game or sport that you love so much”

The Rector said the change will also enable the polytechnic to put together a formidable team for the forthcoming Nigeria Polytechnic Games

“Our concern is that at the end of this competition we should be able to put one or two things together that will participate in this year’s Nigeria Polytechnic Games.

“This year’s Nigeria Polytechnic Games has been scheduled to hold at the Federal Polytechnic Bida sometime early next year and so from the participants here please coaches and officers of the ministry of youth and sports present, help us to identify the talents”

He said the institution’s annual competition has produced some talented sportsmen and women some of who are playing abroad and advised the students to take the event very seriously.

“I am proud to say that one or two members of this competition in the past are playing their football overseas, the ones that I know. And so, from those of you here today, and those that will play later, put in your best.

“Please, the name of the game is fair play. It is not a do-or-die thing. It is a competition, but not a war, not a competition of war. So, please play as friends, put in your best, show your skill, at the end, we’ll be proud of you.

“Whether you win or you lose, we are all one family. Thank you, thank you” he said

Also speaking the Director of Sports, Captain Elechi Amadi polytechnic,Dr Daye Barango described the inclusion of all sporting activities in the competition as a welcome development.

Barango said it would provide opportunities for students to develop their talents in all the sports”There is going to be changes, because this year we included athletics.”There is going to be 100 meters,200 metres,400 metres 800 metres 1500 meters

” We are also going to have javelin,discus and short put

“All these are in preparation for us to get our athletes for next year’s NIPOGA. We hope that from this year,we can get good athletes that will represent the school “

Barango said the school, a few years ago also introduced basketball volleyball and table tennis, adding “but this year is different because we have included athletes

“We are going to be better than what we had last year or previous years especially as we have new games coming in ,new sports coming in and the athletics”,he said.

By: John Bibor