NDSF Scouting, Mentorship Committee targets next-generation athletes

The Scouting and Mentorship Committee of the inaugural Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) is poised to discover and showcase the best budding athletes from the Niger Delta region during the event that will hold from April 1 to 8 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, its chairman, Godwin Enakhena, has said.

The committee emphasised its commitment to unearthing talents that will replace Nigerian sports icons like Tobiloba Amusan, Ese Brume, Blessing Oborodudu, Odunayo Adekuoroye, Austine JJ Okocha, and many others.

Aside from discovering new athletes for Nigeria, the event will help the Niger Delta region to regain its position as the number one sports hub in the country, Enakhena said, adding that the Festival is more than just a sporting event. “It is a platform for empowering the youth, promoting peace and unity, and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of our region. By participating in the festival, individuals are contributing to a brighter future for the Niger Delta. This is where passion meets opportunity, showcasing the region’s culture, empowering its youth, and uniting the region in celebration,” he said.

Enakhena said that “the committee’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the best athletes from the 17 sporting events that will feature at the festival are selected by a group of professionals comprising local and foreign coaches and scouts. This Herculean task requires a collaborative effort to identify and showcase the region’s budding talents. The selected athletes will tell the story of the success of the inaugural Niger Delta Sports Festival and the talents that abound in the region.”

Enakhena, who has successfully midwifed football and sports teams in Nigeria, added: “The NDSF will allow the Niger Delta region to regain its number one position in sports, not only as a reservoir of talents but to dominate sports in Nigeria as it used to in the past. In carrying out this assignment, the committee will work as a unit, ensuring that standards are not compromised across the board. Only the very best athletes will be picked and showcased to the world through the aid of technology and the invitation of foreign scouts to Nigeria during the event.”, concluded the veteran sports journalist.

Enakhena commended the NDSF Main Organising committee for appointing Nigerian sports icons like Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, and Blessing Oborodudu to lead a strong field of accomplished athletes as the festival ambassadors to mentor and inspire the upcoming athletes.

Other members of the committee are Mrs Aniekan Ibezim, Mr Uwanna Jacob, George Essien, who will act as spokesperson, Anthony Alabra Ojo, Paul Omamomo, and Victor Akpotha Fidelis.