At the end of a scheduled facilities tour of venues for the 2nd Niger Delta Games, Hon Desmond Amadin Enabulele, the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission applauded the organisers, Dunamis-Icon Limited and the sponsor, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the renewal of sporting facilities across Benin City.
Enabulele led some members of the Commission’s management team on the tour that saw them visiting the Tennis courts, swimming pool and indoor sports hall at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and the basketball and volleyball courts at Wire Road Sports Centre.
The chairman expressed satisfaction with the level of renovation work already completed by the organisers of the Niger Delta Games, Dunamis Icon Ltd.
” 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 “. Enabulele declared.
The Edo State Sports Commission boss also paid a visit to the state contingent for the Games and urged them to return an improved performance to their outing in Uyo. He counselled them to be disciplined and to focus on their training in order to achieve the target set for themselves.
He gave the charge on Tuesday, February 10,2026 when he officially declared Team Edo camp open and ready for the second Niger Delta Games in Benin.
Declaring the camping open for the host state athletes in the highbrow Governance Reservation Area of Benin, Enabulele told the athletes and coaches that the responsibility of Edo State to deliver and to set a new record of achievements rests on their shoulders. He assured them that the state government has done it’s part by providing the resources to keep them in camp with top notch facilities and welfare.
“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.
“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 said.
He challenged the athletes to improve on their performance in the first edition of the games in Uyo, reminding them that Edo State won the highest number of silver and bronze medals at the Uyo Games.
“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,” he urged them adding that the athletes should be ready to set new records for the state.
Head coach of the Basketball team, Victor Umoru responded on behalf of the contingent and commended the Commission for taking good care of the athletes and their coaches.
The camp was opened on Sunday, February 8 ahead the games starting on February 20 to 27.
