Oborevwori, Akpomudje, Oru Set For Eighth GCU Relays In Ughelli
Delta governor, Olomu monarch and business leader expected at Saturday’s athletics showpiece as nine-lane track proposal gathers attention
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Olomu Kingdom monarch HRM Albert Akpomudje, SAN, and business mogul Chief Andrew Oru are among the prominent personalities expected at the eighth GCU Relays at Government College Ughelli on Saturday.
Their presence is expected to add weight to the annual athletics competition, which has grown into an important platform for discovering and nurturing young talents.
Also expected are Delta State Sports Commission Chairman Onoriode Oborevwori, the Commissioner for Education, the SUBEB Chairman and Ughelli North Local Government Chairman, Chief Jaro Egbo.
The event coincides with two significant milestones for Akpomudje, who will celebrate his first anniversary on the throne on Saturday. The monarch is expected to confer traditional chieftaincy titles on deserving individuals before proceeding to the school for the relays.
It will also be his final appearance at the GCU Relays as President General Worldwide of GCUOBA, ahead of the association’s leadership transition in January 2027.
One major issue expected to feature prominently is the proposal to upgrade Government College Ughelli’s existing six-lane tartan track to a nine-lane facility.
The presence of government officials and other influential stakeholders could provide an opportunity to advance discussions on the proposed reconstruction, which would improve the school’s athletics infrastructure and expand the capacity of the competition.
Oru’s return to the venue will add a nostalgic dimension to the occasion. The businessman competed at the same grounds about five decades ago and is expected to reconnect with a place associated with his early sporting years.
His commitment to the GCUOBA community was evident last year when he spearheaded fundraising efforts for the construction of the association’s ultra-modern Lagos branch building.
Oru is Chairman of Rojitel Group and Group Executive Director/Coordinator of Global Group Aiteo. He was also honoured with The Sun Newspaper’s Investor of the Year Award.
The GCU Relays continues to receive support from the Gamaliel and Susan Onosode Foundation (GAMSU) and members of the Mariners community, both old and young.
Shell Petroleum Development Company, which originally constructed and donated the tartan track, also played a key role in establishing the infrastructure that has sustained the annual athletics tradition.
