Team Bayelsa has emerged overall winner of the inaugural Niger Delta Sports Festival, clinching 42 gold, 29 silver, and 15 bronze medals—topping the medal table with a total of 86 medals. Bayelsa athletes delivered outstanding performances across the 17 sporting events featured during the week-long festival, which saw over 3,000 athletes compete from the nine Niger Delta states. Sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the event was designed to uncover and celebrate raw sporting talent from the region. Delta State finished a close second with 41 gold, 26 silver, and 32 bronze medals, while Edo State secured third place with 23 gold, 63 silver, and 31 bronze medals. Rivers State followed in fourth with a total of 63 medals, including 21 gold. Ondo State placed fifth with 43 medals, and host state Akwa Ibom finished sixth with 37 medals. Abia and Imo States secured seventh and eighth places with 32 and 42 medals respectively, though Imo had fewer golds. Cross River came ninth with 31 medals. At the closing ceremony held Tuesday at the Uyo Township Stadium, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno—represented by Uyo Local Government Chairman, Dr. Uwemediimo Udo—commended the organisers and participants for a successful event. He urged stakeholders to nurture the talents discovered during the festival, emphasizing that the event was not only about competition but also about building networks, sharing ideas, and fostering unity. “Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom is here in spirit, as he asked that I represent him at this event. He has sent his best wishes to organisers, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and all the participants. “He said I should inform you that nobody is a loser, as far as this competition is concerned. “He has also asked that not just discovering these talents, but he is interested in nurturing these talents to ensure they achieve their utmost, as far as their areas of specialty are concerned,” He said.