Akwa Ibom Sports Festival 2026: Itu LGA Completes Historic Rugby Sweep, Wins All Four Gold Medals
Itu Local Government Area has once again proven why it is the home of Rugby in Akwa Ibom State, completing a clean sweep of all Gold medals in the Rugby event of the ongoing 2026 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival.
In a dominant display at the Qua Iboe Church Primary School Grounds, Uyo, Itu LGA won GOLD in all four categories contested which are; Senior Boys,
Junior Boys, Senior Girls
and Junior Girls
Itu, who are the defending overall champions of the Festival after winning 106 medals in 2025, showed class, depth and grassroots preparation.
Ini LGA put up a spirited performance to emerge the overall runner-up in Rugby with 1 Bronze and 3 Silver medals, while Mbo and Ibeno LGAs completed the standings.
Full Result:
(i) Senior Boys: Itu (Gold), Mbo (Silver), Ini (Bronze)
(ii) Junior Boys: Itu (Gold), Ini (Silver), Mbo (Bronze), Ibeno (4th)
(iii) Senior Girls: Itu (Gold), Ini (Silver)
( iv) Junior Girls: Itu (Gold), Ini (Silver), Ibeno (4th)
The Rugby event, which ran from September 22nd to 23rd, was contested by four LGAs Ibeno, Ini, Itu and Mbo. Eket and Ikot Ekpene could not make it for this edition.
The venue is significant because the same Qua Iboe Primary School field was used for the Rugby demonstration during the maiden Niger Delta Games hosted by Akwa Ibom State in 2025, cementing its status as the cradle of Rugby and Cricket development in the state.
Meanwhile Akwa Ibom state have won some credible laurels in Rugby with a Bronze Medal at the Main National Sports Festival Edo 2020.
Also it won another Bronze Medal at the National Youth Games in Asaba Delta State in 2023 amongst other achievements through the local Coach Archibong Dominic with Technical assistance from Obong Ntiense Williams popularly called “Mr Rugby” in Nigeria who is also an indigene of the state .
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
The ongoing 2026 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival, now in its second edition under the ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno, opened on Tuesday, September 22nd at the Uyo Township Stadium. It was declared open by Deputy Governor Senator Akon Eyakenyi on behalf of Governor Eno.
Thirty-one Local Government Areas are participating in over 20 sports, running from September 22-27, 2026.
The Festival is the cornerstone of the Governor’s grassroots sports development strategy for talent discovery, youth empowerment and job creation.
Governor Eno has already demonstrated commitment to this vision by offering automatic employment to three Commonwealth Games medalists; Edidiong Umoafia, Ruth Nyong and Enku Ekuta, who were products of the 2025 edition.
Other highlights of the 2026 Games include the debut of a newly procured Olympic standard boxing ring and the successful Unity Torch relay across all 31 LGAs.
The government has also announced plans to revive inter-house sports in schools and accelerate work on the State Sports Academy in Eket as a legacy facility for talents discovered from the Festival.
First Gold of the Festival: Esther Okon Peter of Nsit Ibom LGA – Women’s 400m in 53.12s on Sept 22 at Godswill Akpabio Stadium. Silver went to Odotudo Effiong (Itu), Bronze to Unwana Udoh (Uruan).
Rugby:Itu LGA leading – 4 Golds (Senior Boys, Junior Boys, Senior Girls, Junior Girls). Ini LGA second with 3 Silver 1 Bronze, Mbo 1 Silver 1 Bronze.
Defending Champions context: In 2025, final table was:
1. Itu LGA – overall winner (106 medals total) – won N15m
2. Uyo LGA – 2nd – N10m
3. Nsit Atai LGA – 3rd – N5m
For 2026, early signs show Itu, Nsit Ibom, Ini and Mbo are on top from Rugby and Athletics, but football, boxing, tennis (which started yesterday at Ibom Club) and weightlifting results are still coming in.
The full table is expected to be published at the closing ceremony on Sunday Sept 27 at Uyo Township Stadium.
