•Phyno, Eben to perform for the 3,500 athletes and officials in Uyo 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to officially flag off the much- anticipated inaugural edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) today in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The festival will be concluded on April 8 with about 3,000 athletes and over 500 officials competing in 17 sports.

In the last one week, the festival torch went on a tour of the nine mandate states of the NDDC that includes host Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo, Abia and Imo  states. The torch tour which kicked off in Bayelsa State is expected to be lit in a cauldron at the Uyo Township Stadium at the opening ceremony today.

The usually dour and rustic Uyo Township has undergone a makeover that turned the city centre sports ground to a kaleidoscope of bright colours, patterns and sports symbols. As would be said in local parlance ‘Niger Delta Development Commission hand has touched it.’

While security presence has become more pronounced, locals still found their ways into the ‘construction’ site with hawkers parading their goods while some traders set up stands displaying sporting apparel and footwear.

“This is looking like a carnival, and we are lucky to have the event in our state.

“Our stadium is now looking like those places abroad that we see on television,” Etuk James, a budding football player shared in a hearty chat with a friend who dragged him for a photograph against the backdrop of a boarded tunnel with the images of former internationals, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, Nwankwo Kanu and Seun Ogunkoya.

According to the Main Organising Committee (MOC), the opening ceremony will feature 40 music and comedy talents from the Niger Delta region and supported by cultural dancers from the NDDC states.

Foremost entertainment impresario, Edi Lawani who is also the Chairman of the Culture and Entertainment Sub-committee said “We are bringing high energy sound systems with a full complement of exotic show lighting display and large format screen projection”.

Itiako Ikpokpo, Lead Consultant at Dunamis Icon, organisers of the festival, said the event promises to provide a classy evening of music, dance and culture. “We have lined up international afrobeat star, Phyno to lead the night that will also have Eben on stage,” concludes the co-chairman.