In a bid to discover and nurture the next generation of sporting talents from the Niger Delta region, the organisers of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) have assembled a team of renowned coaches and scouts to oversee the scouting and mentorship process.

Leading the pack is Gabriel Okon, a seasoned athletics coach and Olympian, who will be in charge of the athletics team. Okon, who has coached the national team to several international competitions, brings a wealth of experience to the table. 

Joining him is Anthony Konyegwachi, another Olympian and national team coach who will lead the boxing team.

In volleyball, the festival has secured the services of Rakiya Mohammed, a national women’s volleyball coach, as well as Anthony Oghuma and Imoudu Francis, both highly respected volleyball coaches. 

Owhe John, a former Nigerian basketball star, will lead the scouting team for basketball, while Emmanuel Emefuna, the national team coach, will oversee the swimming events. Odey Anthony will be in charge of tennis, and Paul Omonoma, an international football scout, will lead the football team.

The selected sporting events will have experienced national team coaches and scouts on the ground during the festival. 

Chairman of the Scouting and Mentorship Committee of the games, Godwin Enakhena, has expressed his gratitude to former Olympic champions, Daniel Igali, Yusuf Ali, and Prof Sadiq Abdullahi, a former Nigerian tennis star, who played at some of the major grand slams, for their support in recommending some of the names for the various sporting events.

 “We are confident that with this team of experienced coaches and scouts, we will be able to discover and nurture the next generation of superstars from the Niger Delta region,” concludes Enakhena.

The NDSF, powered by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is committed to providing a platform for young athletes from the region to showcase their talents and compete against their peers. With the assemblage of this dream team of coaches and scouts, the festival is poised to achieve its mandate of delivering the next set of super young athletes for the Niger Delta and Nigeria.