Bayelsa Govt Intensify Efforts To Revive Ann Sports Festival

The Bayelsa State Government has intensified efforts to revive the annual State Sports Festival as deliberate steps and commitment to strengthen grassroot sports development in order to discover talented youths most especially in football across the state.

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, made the commitment through his Deputy, Dr. Peter Pereotubo Akpe, shortly after the weekly Prosperity Walk and the formal presentation of cheques to winners of the Prosperity Cup by the Premium Trust Bank at the Main Bowl of Samson Siasia Stadium.

The governor called on corporate organizations, industries, and well-meaning individuals to support the proposed sports festival, stressing that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of developing sports in the state.

According to him, the revival of the sports festival would provide a structured avenue for discovering and nurturing talents from the grassroots across various sporting disciplines.

Governor Diri noted that Bayelsa must adopt a deliberate and intentional approach toward sports development, emphasizing that consistent grassroots programmes remain the best pathway to producing world-class athletes.

He explained that the initiative would help the state avoid the growing trend of recruiting athletes from other states for national competitions, insisting that Bayelsa possesses abundant local talents capable of excelling with proper support and training.

The governor cited the example of the state Commissioner for Sports Development, Daniel Igali, who was discovered years ago through grassroots wrestling competitions and later rose to international prominence.

He praised organizers of the Prosperity Cup for reigniting grassroots sports development through football and disclosed that discussions had already resumed with the Sports Ministry on plans to organize both local government and state-wide sports festivals.

“This is the time for the state to take a deliberate, intentional approach that will foster credible sports development across every corner of Bayelsa,” the governor stated.

He also appreciated residents for participating massively in the weekly Prosperity Walk, describing the exercise as a healthy initiative that promotes wellness and social interaction.

Governor Diri further urged private organizations to emulate premium trust bank and other sponsors of the Prosperity Cup by investing in sports development, adding that such partnerships would yield positive social and economic benefits for the state.

He commended the bank for its commitment to sports development and invited it to partner with the government in hosting the State Sports Festival, which was last held in 2023.

The governor expressed optimism that with the support of Prosperity Cup organizers and private sector partners, adequate funding could be mobilized for the festival without direct government financing.

He equally acknowledged Bayelsa’s para-athletes for their impressive second-place finish at the last Para Games, assuring them that the state government would soon recognize and reward their achievements.

Speaking during the event, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Premium Trust Bank, Mr Emmanuel Emefienim, who was represented by the bank’s South-South Regional Manager, Danjuma Omeje, described Season 8 of the Prosperity Cup as special because it coincided with the bank’s fourth anniversary of premium trust bank.

Omeje disclosed that the bank recently achieved a historic milestone by posting ₦177 billion Profit Before Tax, which he described as unprecedented in Nigeria’s banking industry.

He reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting sports development in Bayelsa State and pledged continued partnership with the Prosperity Cup project.

Also speaking, Director-General of the Prosperity Cup, Ono Akpe, thanked Governor Diri and Bayelsans for their unwavering support for the tournament.

He revealed that former Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, and his technical crew had selected five talented players from the Prosperity Cup for national camping in Abuja beginning from Sunday, May 24, 2026.

According to him, four of the players would join the Flying Eagles U-20 squad, while one player would feature with the U-23 team ahead of final screening for the national teams.

Mr Akpe assured that all invited players would receive the necessary support to enhance their chances of making the final squads.

He also announced a major breakthrough for the tournament, revealing that the Prosperity Cup champions and a select team from the competition had secured participation slots in the Nationwide League One (NLO), which begins on June 24, 2026.

He further disclosed that the NLO had officially requested to make Yenagoa one of its centres for the competition, describing the development as a major boost for football and sports development in Bayelsa State.

~ Hot News Reporters
Thursday, 21, May, 2026