Early this month, the 21st National Sports Festival, also known as Delta 2022, was successfully held in Asaba, Delta State, breaking both national and international records and showcasing new talent. Tribunesport’s NIYI ALEBIOSU, who covered the 1973-introduced biennial fiesta, provides an analysis on the Games, also referred to as Nigeria’s Olympic equivalent.

At the Edo 2020 closing ceremony, Delta State’s Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, declared that the state would be hosting the 21st National Sports Festival. The announcement was met with varied reactions.

Numerous interested parties voiced worries about how Delta State would provide the facilities needed to host the Games, which are considered as Nigeria’s equivalent of the olympics.

However, in his remarks following the presentation of the NSF flag as the hosting emblem by the Sports Minister, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa gave the assurance that Delta State would be prepared to host and that all the infrastructure required for the Games would be delivered on schedule.

And this was realized early this month when Asaba, the capital of Delta State, hosted Delta 2022, a grand celebration that took place from November 28 to December 10.

In addition to providing cutting-edge athletic facilities at the now-defunct Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, the Delta State government also created a climate that allowed athletes and officials from all 36 states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to display their skills in the greatest setting possible.

The focal points of Delta 2022 were the indoor sports hall, the Olympic-sized swimming pool, and the handball and basketball courts.

Events like netball and tekball were showcased during the Games with the goal of showcasing these two rapidly expanding sports in Nigeria for the next Festival, which Ogun State will host in 2024.

The organizers planned to guarantee the growth and development of sports in the state, and as such, some of the activities were held outside Asaba with standard sporting facilities.
Hockey was played at Okpanam, while basketball was played at Ogwuachi.

Additionally, a sizable watching area was noted at High Court Road for locals and Indigenous people to watch their heroes and heroines compete while earning honors for the state. These people were unable to get to the Games venues.

The viewing center was also a sight to behold, with a variety of musical acts overseen by renowned Masters of Ceremonies to liven up the atmosphere under Chukwuma Ukah’s direction.

With a vibrant opening ceremony, the Delta State administration reaffirmed its willingness to host a successful Festival. The magnificent fireworks at the Stephen Keshi Stadium did, in fact, leave Asaba in awe; most attendees would not soon forget the occasion.

In what could be considered one of the greatest opening ceremonies for a sports festival in recent memory, the artists enthralled the audience with dance, music, a calisthenics demonstration, and pyrotechnics.

Leading the dignitaries at Delta 2022’s opening ceremony was Sunday Dare, the Sports Minister.

During the vibrant launch of Delta 2022, three other governors were present, including Dr. Okowa, the host governor, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

Additionally, Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, graced the occasion, which kept a lot of onlookers on the edge of their seats for the duration.

Chief Patrick Ukah, the secretary to the state government and chairman of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) for Delta 2022, was ecstatic about the hockey arena that was created for the games.

The main feature of Delta 2022 will continue to be the building of a hockey-only pavilion in Okpanam. This facility, which will be used only for hockey, will contribute to the growth of the sport not only in the state but also nationally.

Former national hockey player Ukah told Tribunesport that one of the Festival’s greatest legacies was the ultra-modern facility. He noted that while having the swimming pool, indoor sports hall, tartan tracks, and other amenities ready is standard, having an incredible structure like the hockey arena is truly unique.

“The hockey arena’s artificial turf is on par with some of the greatest in the world. The hockey field in Africa ought to be among the greatest.

“The hostels constructed there are another fascinating aspect. We have roughly 80 rooms there, so more than three teams can use it as a camp venue at once.

“The hockey arena for the Delta 2022 Sports Festival is something we are really proud of. Ukah had told Tribunesport, “It is good and massive enough to host Africa and global hockey events in the future.”

There was no doubt that Delta 2022 was a big success since, in spite of the difficulties the state faced, the Sports Minister expressed satisfaction with the caliber of the Games.

Despite the short notice, Dare observed that the Delta State government supplied standard facilities for the Festival, much to the admiration of all sports stakeholders.

He conveyed happiness that the Festival will proceed according to plan thanks to the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

“The Festival can now take place inside the allotted calendar, after a six-year delay previously. My heart is also pleased that our athletes have broken and set records, proving that the Festival has lived up to its expectations. Additionally, an eight-year-old athlete’s talents were found, demonstrating our dedication to grassroots sports development, the speaker stated.

Tribunesport noted that as competitors were randomly selected for drug testing during Delta 2022, there was no instance of drug misuse by any athletes.

Tonobok Okowa, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, expressed his delight with the success of the Games and said that more hidden athletes were revealed by the Festival who were found competing in different disciplines. In an interview with Tribunesport, Tonobok said that established athletes will have to put in more effort to stay there or risk being replaced by these young athletes. He also said that the talents that are discovered will be embraced and raised to greatness.

In his remarks, Secretary of the MOC Mr. Peter Nelson praised the Delta State administration for the infrastructure set up to ensure a flawless Games.

But, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo of Team Imo, one of the boxers, passed away soon after his 86kg match against Prince Gaby Amagor of Team Delta, leaving Delta 2022 with a tragic legacy.

Igboanugo apparently passed out as he was leaving the hall, and despite the excellent medical care each event center offered, there was nothing that could be done to save his life.

The unfortunate incident was reported by Dapo Akinyele, secretary of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), to Tribunesport. “Medics placed him on oxygen and tried to stabilise him, but he died before getting to hospital.”

With 320 gold, 200 silver, and 128 bronze medals at the end of the 14-day fiesta that drew in approximately 14,000 attendees, Team Delta continued to be the NSF champions. Team Bayelsa came in second with 132 gold, 115 silver, and 90 bronze, while Team Edo placed third with 78 gold, 94 silver, and 167 bronze.

Tribunesport is hopeful that the multibillion-naira athletic facilities installed for the Games by the Delta State government will be properly utilized and cared for.

Stakeholders assert that in order for Ogun State to host a far better National Sports Festival in 2024, preparation must begin immediately, using Delta 2022 as a model.