Sports
AFN Targets New Talents As Okowa Awards Scholarships
Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) President, Tonobok Okowa, says the sixth National Youth Games holding in Ilorin will serve as fresh talent recruitment ground for the federation.
Defending champions, Team Delta, arrived Ilorin with a contingent of over 750 athletes and officials.
Okowa, who is the chairman of Delta State Sport’s Commission, told Newsmen that the athletes were ready to defend their title.
A praise and worship session was held for the team on Saturday evening at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, where the Secretary to the state government, Patrick Ukah, who represented Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, urged the athletes to do everything possible to defend their title.
He said: “As soon as athletics event starts, I will shift my attention to track and field because the AFN will use the National Youth Games to recruit athletes who will step into the shoes of some ageing ones. As for Team Delta, we have worked very hard for these games, and I am sure we will emerge victorious again. The state government has given us the support we need, and we are very grateful to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the entire executive council.”
Okowa revealed that 11 of the young athletes discovered at the 2019 edition of the National Youth Games were given academic scholarship by the state government to combine their education with sports in the United States last year, adding that four others have just joined them.
He said, “when we discover young athletes, we keep them and nurture them,” Okowa stated.
Meanwhile, organisers of the youth games have assured participants of a hitch-free event, saying the minor hitches recorded on the opening day have been taken care of.
Team Edo contingent, yesterday, complained that they were left outside the hostels provided for the teams, adding that there were no official to attend to them.
Team Edo leader, Sabina Amiemenoghena Chikere, said she had to make alternative private hostel accommodation for the women athletes and questioned why the LOC will fix a tournament of this magnitude when students of the University of Ilorin were still writing their examinations.
However, an official of the LOC, who pleaded anonymity, said that the hiccup experienced by Edo is a minute problem that has been sorted out, adding that such problems usually occur on arrival days in multi-sport events.
“Most schools are in session. It makes hostel accommodation for many states difficult. But we have moved the affected states to polytechnic hostels around the state capital. Edo is not the only state affected”, he said.
“We are satisfied with the level of preparedness of University of Ilorin ahead of the competition and members of the Sports Directors’ Forum have also expressed their delight at the arrangements in place for the games.”
Also, the LOC has announced a slight adjustment to the time line of the competition with the opening ceremony initially scheduled for Wednesday now moved to Thursday.
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.