By Ifeanyi Uwagwu, Ebi Nieketien, Miracle Kalu, Tejiri Edafe, Stella Ogbuze
it has been a week since the curtain fell on the 9th National Youth Games (NYG), in Asaba, and it was an eventful forth-night as the state capital became a showroom for old and emerging talents, hosting young athletes from across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with each chasing gold, glory, and a possible career that could one day take them to the global stage.
The competition, which has grown steadily in relevance since its inception, was more than just about sports. It has become an effective platform for talent identification and development as well as a level playing ground for young athletes to achieve excellence in any sport of their choosing.
From the moment contingents began arriving in Asaba, one could see the tangible excitement on their faces. For some of the young athletes, this was their very first time in Delta State’s capital, and the excitement was impossible to miss. Their faces, bright with anticipation, mirrored the hopes of their states and families who had entrusted them with the responsibility of representing them on the national stage.
A few days before the official opening ceremony, the grounds around the Stephen Keshi Stadium became a mini marketplace. Athletes in colourful attire and sporting wear were seen strolling in groups, familiarising themselves with their new surroundings ahead of the competitions. They were competitors and tourists at the same time, mentally preparing for the challenge to come while also being eager to taste the cultural flavour of Asaba.
By the morning of the opening ceremony, the atmosphere and expectations had reached a new level. A section of the road leading to the stadium from the popular Anglican Girls Grammar School (AGGS) junction had been cordoned off to make way for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and a host of dignitaries who were expected. Security officials, ushers, and protocol teams ensured the environment was ready for the spectacle.
Inside the Stephen Keshi Stadium, the excitement was palpable. State contingents gathered, dressed in their ceremonial tracksuits, each set inscribed with the name of their home state. When the parade of states began, it was a riot of colours and celebrations. Ushers raised the state’s flags high, athletes danced behind them, and spectators roared their approval. It was a reminder that sport is more than competition; it is a celebration of identity and unity. A three-year-old cyclist from Ogun State, Temiloluwa Joel Osho, wowed the cheering crowd with an incredible display on his bicycle. It was really a wonderful sight to behold, and if properly nurtured, could become a special asset for his home state and the nation at large.
When the dust of the parade settled, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and who also doubled as the Chairman, Delta State Sports Commission, Hon. Onoriode Oborevwori, mounted the podium. In his speech, he reiterated the essence of the Games as a nursery of talent and assured all present that Delta was prepared to deliver another smooth and memorable edition.
Declaring the games open, President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, described Delta State as the headquarters of sports in Nigeria, commending the state’s consistent role in nurturing talents and hosting sporting events.
According to the President, “Since we started the National Youth Games, the platform has been the very source of the talents that have represented our country locally, nationally, continentally and internationally. The national youth games is therefore very important and significant.
‘’ As we gather here for the next two weeks, over 6,000 young athletes 15 years downwards to compete in the spirit of sportsmanship, we believe that several young talents in football, field and track, boxing and several other sports will emerge, they will be fared into our federations and from there they will be nurtured and trained and up -skilled to represent this country. I pray and hope that the best state with the best athletes win.’’
In his remarks, the representative of the Delta State Governor, and Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor said the National Youth Games was more than sports but a celebration of young people, unity and a prosperous future.
In his words, ‘Sports speaks a language that goes beyond tribe, religion, or background. It brings us together as one people with shared dreams and visions. Our people are very passionate about sports. It is part of who we are.
‘Over the years, we have built a record as the home of champions. From athletics to football, to boxing and basketball, Delta has consistently produced stars who shine at the national, continental and global level’.
At the end of the ceremony, Delta-born musician Victor AD, thrilled the crowd by performing a repertoire of some of his hit songs. It was a fitting start to what turned out to be an eventful 9th National Youth Games that sprung up surprises.
Lagos’ Emergence as Champions
When the dust settled on the medals table, it was Lagos State that emerged as the undisputed champions of the 9th National Youth Games, racking up a medal haul of 52 gold, 32 silver and 26 bronze medals. 15 gold medals more than its closest rivals and host, Delta State. Their triumph was emphatic, with dominance across multiple sports, but nowhere was it more pronounced than in swimming.
Of the 25 gold medals available in the swimming events, Lagos swept an astonishing 19 Gold and 4 Silver medals. It was not just dominance; it was a demolition job by the Lagosians in the swimming event. Their swimmers exhibited discipline and were technically superior to their rivals, especially to the contingents from the South-South states, who, before these games, dominated the swimming event in previous editions.
Speaking to The Pointer about his team’s outstanding performance in the pool, Lagos State Head Coach, Abiodun Ojomo, praised the athletes for their commitment and discipline, attributing the remarkable feat to timely preparations and years of investment by the Lagos State government in grassroots sports development and quality coaching.
According to him, “We won 19 gold and four silver medals but no bronze in swimming. The secret behind our performance is that the Lagos State government is trying a lot for swimming. You know that Lagos is surrounded by water. We have different swimming clubs in Lagos. We brought four coaches to this edition of the games, which has never happened before. So you can see that we really came prepared. During the trials, we selected the best in Lagos state. We have been preparing since after the last youth games’’ he said.
The success in the pool inspired other Lagos athletes across different sports. By the end of the Games, Lagos had firmly stamped its authority, earning bragging rights and placing itself as the new powerhouse of youth sports in Nigeria. Their emergence as champions was no fluke, as they had finished in second position five consecutive times in the last 6 editions.
What Went Wrong for Team Delta?
For Delta, however, the story was different. The state, known as Nigeria’s sports capital, had won eight consecutive editions of the National Youth Games, including the previous two editions as host state. Expectations were sky-high that, as hosts for the third time, they would complete a treble. But instead, Delta fell short, leaving supporters and stakeholders to wonder what went wrong.
One of the state’s coaches, speaking to The Pointer Newspaper under the condition of anonymity, during the games, asserted that late preparations was one of the major reasons the state lost its sporting crown to Lagos.
Beyond preparation, some observers pointed to complacency. Having hosted and won in previous years, there was an assumption that home advantage and natural talent would once again carry them through.
While for others, it was a lack of proper motivation by the stakeholders, which they said, negatively affected the performance of some of the athletes. But in all, it would take a higher level of performance from Delta to wrestle back their crown from Lagos in the next edition, which could also be on home soil.
Who Gets the Next Edition?
As the Games wound down, a new debate emerged: who would host the 10th National Youth Games? In 2023, Delta had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the then Federal Ministry of Sports, now the National Sports Commission (NSC), to host the Games for four consecutive years. The 9th edition was the third year running that the state was playing host.
However, speculations were rife during the event that the National Sports Commission was considering handing the hosting rights to Lagos State, the eventual winners of the Games. The argument, whispered in some quarters, was that Lagos had the infrastructure, resources, and organisational capacity to host a better edition.
Some critics argued that the 9th edition lacked the finesse and organisation of Delta’s earlier efforts, branding it the least impressive festival the state had hosted. For them, Lagos represented a fresh start.
For Delta, this was unacceptable and a slap to their face. To this end, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori used the closing ceremony to reassert Delta’s position. He reminded everyone of the MoU and affirmed the state’s readiness to host the 10th edition.
According to him, “Let me affirm here that in keeping with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Delta signed with the then Ministry of Sports, now the National Sports Commission, Delta State has the hosting right for four editions of the National Youth Games. As such, we stand fully prepared and ready to host the 10th edition come 2026,” the Governor assured.
A spectator, Mr Godwin, opined that previous editions hosted by the state were more colourful and better planned than this. In his words, ‘’the previous editions were far better and more organised. The opening ceremonies of the previous ones and the events itself was better than what we are seeing here today. The young ones enjoyed it. I am not sure they enjoyed this one compared to the last one Delta hosted.”
For now, the official word is that Delta will host the 10th edition. Will Delta rise to the challenge of not only delivering a flawless event next year but also reclaiming its lost crown? Or will political manoeuvres see Lagos take over the mantle? Only time will tell.
The Age-Cheat Debate
One of the enemies of youth sports in Nigeria that has plagued the country for decades is the issue of age cheats in sporting events, especially in age-graded competitions like this, which is founded mainly for athletes under the age of 15.
During his remarks in the closing ceremony, Governor Oborevwori openly expressed concern, warning that persistent age fraud threatened the integrity of the Games.
He urged the National Sports Commission to take urgent measures to safeguard the integrity of the Games and preserve its vision as a platform for discovering genuine young talents.
It was not just the Delta State Governor that frowned over this obnoxious trend in Nigerian youth sports, spectators alike were displeased with the level and number of over-aged athletes that competed for different states at different events.
According to one of the coaches, Ada, ‘’the games has been nice but the athletes are way older than the agreed age. They said the athletes should be under 15 but some of these guys look over 20’’.
Indeed, several mature-looking athletes were competing in supposedly under-15 categories, which is something the stakeholders should critically look into.
The Business Side of the Games
While the athletes competed on the tracks, in the pools, and across the courts, another set of people (business owners) smiled their way through the Games. For traders, food vendors, hotel operators, and transporters, the National Youth Games should be held more than once a year if they had their way.
Every corner in and around the Stephen Keshi was buzzing with commercial activity. Hawkers sold everything from bottled water to the least item the naira could buy. Small restaurants overflowed with customers, while street vendors doubled their stock of quick snacks and soft drinks, as well as vendors selling clothes, jewelries and all manner of items, including sporting merchandise.
For the state, the increased commercial activity translated into higher internally generated revenue, with tax authorities and local markets benefitting from the rush. The Games proved once again that, beyond the sporting spectacle, events like this are major economic drivers for the host state. But as busy as it seemed, some traders lamented minimal patronage compared to previous editions. According to Mr. Uzor, who sells communication accessories, the previous year was better as he made more sales compared to what he recorded.
Another trader, Abubakar Rabiu from Kaduna, echoed Mr Uzor’s submission. According to him, “Last year was better than this year, because salary earners, once they get their salary, they pay for their children’s school fees or food stuff at home, so most people did not really come out to patronise us the way we would have wanted”.
Conclusion
The 9th National Youth Games in Asaba will be remembered for a lot of things, most especially Delta’s poor performance and the emergence of Lagos State as the new champions.
For the athletes, it was a stage to dream and a platform to launch future careers. For the states, it was a contest of pride and supremacy. For the business community, it was a season of profit. And for sports administrators, it was a reminder that preparation, organisation, and transparency remain the pillars of success.
The National Youth Games is more than a competition. It is a strategic plan to reposition sports at the grassroots level and facilitate the discovery of budding talents in the country. It is also a vision of Nigeria’s sporting future and a celebration of its unity, and as such, stakeholders should prioritise the real essence of the games, rather than just having the win at all costs mindset by using over-aged athletes to the detriment of the future stars the games were meant to discover.
