The third edition of the Edo State Sports Festival has come to an end with Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area winning 240 medals, topping the table to emerge first ahead of 17 other local government areas in various competitive games at the festival.

Ikpoba-Okha Local Government won 100 gold, 82 silver and 58 bronze medals to clinch the top spot and N5 million prize money.

Second on the medal table was Owan West with 74 gold, 53 silver and 66 bronze, bringing their total medals to 193; N3million and a runners up trophy

While the third place went to Egor Local Government with 64 gold, 60 silver and 54 bronze, bringing the total medals to 178 to win N1million and a trophy.

Declaring the ceremony closed at the University of Benin sports complex, the Deputy Governor of Edo State Comrade Philip Shaibu commended all the participating Local Government alongside their athletes adding that the State is set to return as the sporting hub of the nation.

He expressed the readiness of the State to commence closed-door camping for athletes who qualified for the National Sports Festival which will be hosted by Edo State in March.

“This festival was used to select Edo State athletes for the National Sports Festival to be hosted here in our State. The games have sprung surprises producing new talents that were not known before. This is the beginning of the return of sports to Edo State the land of sports.”

Shaibu said the Edo sports festival will be an annual event to get new talents for the State and the nation, noting that the State Government has refurbished and rebuilt most of the sporting facilities around the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

“We will continue to develop our sporting facilities in the State beyond the National Sports Festival as we have built 20 new mini stadia across the 18 Local Government Areas. Four of these stadia will serve the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium as a training ground for National, CAF and FIFA games. We are also going to build three mini mega stadiums; one would be located at Edo South (Etete), another at Edo Central (Ekpoma), while the last at Etsako West.

“Since Edo and Delta States went to recess in sports especially football, Nigeria now use a calculator to calculate matches to enable us to win games. We say no to this as we are back and now Nigeria will win its matches well.”

The Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission Dudu Orume thanked the Governor and his Deputy for a well-organized sports festival in the State, looking forward to a great outing at the National Sports Festival to be hosted by the state.

The Chairman of Owan West, Frank Ilaboya also thanked the athletes from the Local Government for coming out second, noting that the council Area is set to be the hub for sports in the State and the nation.

“Next month we will launch our special sports programme known as ‘FACT’ in the council area. FACT means Football, Athletics, Cycling and Table tennis to get talents in the council area and make it the hub for sports.” (Channels TV)

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