Enabulele Commends Niger Delta Games Facilities, Charges Team Edo to Aim for Gold
Hon. Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, has applauded the organisers of the 2nd Niger Delta Games for the extensive renovation of sporting facilities across Benin City.
The facilities upgrade, sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and executed by Dunamis-Icon Limited, was inspected during a scheduled tour led by Enabulele and members of the Commission’s management team.
The inspection covered the tennis courts, swimming pool, and indoor sports hall at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, as well as the basketball and volleyball courts at the Wire Road Sports Centre.
Expressing satisfaction with the progress, Enabulele declared: ‘The facility upgrade is 90 percent ready and we are very happy with what is on ground. The upgrade counts as one of numerous benefits of the Games being hosted by our state. The tennis court at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium and the indoor halls are fully ready. Work on the swimming pool is ongoing and at an advanced stage. We are ready.’
Beyond the facilities, Enabulele also visited the state contingent preparing for the Games. On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, he officially declared Team Edo’s camp open in the Government Reservation Area of Benin, urging athletes to embrace discipline and commitment.
‘We are ready for the 2026 Niger Delta Games. Congratulations to you all here. Remember we have a lot of intelligent and brilliant people in our state. So for you to be selected for the task, you are already a winner. From now on you should know you are now state Ambassadors because you are representing Edo State.’
He emphasized that the state government had provided top-notch facilities and welfare, and that the responsibility now rested on the athletes and coaches to deliver.
‘As we are in this camp, discipline must be our watchword. We have set target for ourselves and to achieve the goals, you must be disciplined. Without discipline and commitment it is difficult to achieve much as sports men and women.
‘In this particular edition of the Niger Delta Games, we are not just participating or adding to the number of teams, but we are working towards hosting to win. We can do it if we are disciplined as host state.’
Enabulele reminded the athletes of their performance at the first edition of the Games in Uyo, where Edo State won the highest number of silver and bronze medals.
He challenged them to convert those near misses into victories this time: ‘We must be ready to change the narrative this time. In the last outing, we had the highest number of silver and bronze medals. So we must do better to convert those Silver and Bronze to gold.’
Responding on behalf of the contingent, Head Coach of the basketball team, Victor Umoru, commended the Commission for its support and care for both athletes and coaches. Team Edo’s camp opened on Sunday, February 8, ahead of the Games scheduled to run from February 20 to 27 in Benin City.
