By Solomon OKPO
Itu Local Government Area has retained its position as champions of the Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival, finishing top of the medals table at the 2026 edition with an impressive haul of 108 medals.
The defending champions secured 59 gold, 33 silver and 16 bronze medals, maintaining the dominance they established at the 2025 edition of the grassroots sports competition.
Uruan Local Government Area emerged as the festival’s biggest improver, climbing from eighth position in 2025 to finish second this year with 83 medals, comprising 27 gold, 33 silver and 23 bronze. Etinan completed the top three with 51 medals, made up of 23 gold, 15 silver and 13 bronze. Eastern Obolo and Obot Akara, however, finished without a medal.
The top three teams were presented with trophies by Governor Umo Eno during the colourful closing ceremony held at the Uyo Township Stadium.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Main Organising Committee and Commissioner for Sports Development, Elder Paul Bassey, thanked Governor Eno for what he described as the administration’s deliberate investment in sports and grassroots talent development. He said the creation of a stand-alone Ministry of Sports Development had strengthened efforts to identify, nurture and provide opportunities for talented young athletes across the state.
Declaring the festival closed, Governor Eno, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, congratulated the organising committee and participating local government areas for the successful completion of the competition. He described the festival as an important platform for discovering sporting talents in line with the youth empowerment objectives of the ARISE Agenda.
The Governor assured athletes and participating local governments that winners of the 2026 festival would be handsomely rewarded for their performances, stressing that such incentives were necessary to encourage excellence and sustain grassroots sports development in the state.
He also highlighted the sporting facilities incorporated into the administration’s projects, including the nine-hole golf course, football field, tennis and basketball courts at the ARISE Resort, as well as the Sports Academy in Eket, which he said would provide a pathway for young talents discovered and nurtured through competitions such as the state festival.
Governor Eno further recalled the achievements of Akwa Ibom athletes at the Second Niger Delta Games in Benin, Edo State, and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, noting that outstanding athletes had already received rewards, including automatic entry into the State Civil Service for three Team Nigeria athletes who returned with medals.
The closing ceremony also featured the U-18 men’s football final, in which Okobo Local Government Area defeated Ikot Abasi 1–0 to claim its only gold medal of the festival. Governor Eno subsequently presented gold medals to the victorious Okobo players.
The ceremony climaxed with cultural displays by the Ministry of Arts and Culture and a colourful march-past by athletes and officials from participating local government areas, with Governor Eno taking the salute as the 2026 Akwa Ibom Sports Festival officially came to an end.
