From Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
Itu Local Government Area has successfully defended its 2025 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival title after finishing at the top of the medals table at the 2026 edition with an impressive haul of 108 medals, comprising 59 gold, 33 silver and 16 bronze.
According to a statement issued to our reporter by sports analyst Mfon Patrick, the defending champions continued from where they stopped last year, delivering strong performances across various sporting events to retain their position as the leading local government area at the state’s grassroots sports festival.
Patrick added that Uruan Local Government Area emerged as the most improved team of the festival, finishing second with 83 medals — 27 gold, 33 silver and 23 bronze.
The Atakpos, who finished eighth on the medals table at the 2025 edition, recorded a remarkable improvement to secure the runners-up position this year.
Etinan Local Government Area completed the top three with 51 medals, comprising 23 gold, 15 silver and 13 bronze.
At the other end of the table, Eastern Obolo and Obot Akara finished the festival without winning a medal.
The top three local government areas were presented with trophies by Governor Pastor Umo Eno during the closing ceremony held at the Uyo Township Stadium.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Main Organising Committee and Commissioner for Sports Development, Elder Paul Bassey, expressed appreciation to Governor Umo Eno for his administration’s deliberate investment in sports development and the establishment of a stand-alone Ministry of Sports Development to promote grassroots sports and talent discovery.
Elder Bassey assured the Governor that the ministry would continue to work diligently to provide talented youths across the state with opportunities to develop and showcase their talents in sports.
In his address declaring the festival closed, Governor Umo Eno congratulated the Main Organising Committee, led by Commissioner Paul Bassey, for successfully hosting the 2026 edition of the Sports Festival.
He described the festival as a veritable platform for discovering new sporting talents in line with the youth empowerment objectives of the Arise Agenda.
The Governor, who was represented at the ceremony by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, assured participants that winners at the festival would be rewarded for their outstanding performances as a mark of encouragement and empowerment.
“Our flagship project, the Arise Resort, is not lost on us, as it boasts a nine-hole golf course, a football field, tennis and basketball courts, as well as facilities for indoor sports.
“The Sports Academy in Eket is a legacy project that will cater for the future of our youngsters after they have been discovered and nurtured.
“I congratulate our athletes who travelled to Benin, Edo State, to compete at the Second Niger Delta Games and made us proud. We have rewarded them, just as we offered automatic entry into the State Civil Service to three of our athletes who represented Team Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and returned with laurels.
“Just as we did last year, winners at this year’s festival will be handsomely rewarded, as will the local governments, for their efforts. Congratulations to all the winners, and well done to those who will win next year.”
Governor Eno also commended local government chairmen, sports supervisors and other stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the festival.
The closing ceremony featured the men’s U-18 football final between Okobo and Ikot Abasi Local Government Areas, with Okobo securing a 1–0 victory to claim its only gold medal of the festival.
Governor Umo Eno subsequently decorated the victorious Okobo players with their gold medals.
The ceremony also featured a cultural display by the Ministry of Arts and Culture, as well as a colourful march-past by all participating local government areas, with Governor Umo Eno taking the salute as athletes and officials filed past the dignitaries.