Final preparations were underway on Thursday for the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Niger Delta Games, which begins on Friday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State.
State contingents arrived in succession at the Benson Idahosa University Games Village, designated to host athletes and officials, as rehearsals continued from the afternoon into the night to fine-tune the ceremonial programme.
Organisers expressed confidence in the level of readiness but acknowledged the pressure that accompanies major sporting events.
“We have come far into preparations and while I am hugely satisfied and excited with what we have lined up, you can’t let down your guards at such crucial time,” Chairman of Dunamis-Icon Limited, owners of the Niger Delta Games trademark, Itiako Ikpokpo, told journalists after the draw for the ball games.
Delta State was the first delegation to arrive, followed by Bayelsa and Imo states.
Project Director Fred Edoreh said logistics at the Games Village had been structured to ensure a smooth accreditation process for participants.
“What is in place here is for the state contingents to go from their vehicles straight to the accreditation tents set up near the hostels,” Mr Edoreh said.
Entertainment and ceremony
Preparations for the opening ceremony gathered momentum at the main bowl of the stadium, where sound checks, choreography and visual displays were being rehearsed.
Chairman of the Cultural and Entertainment Committee, Edi Lawani, supervised the final technical checks as performers rehearsed on the field.
“It is going to be two hours to remember as we have lined up A-list musical and comedy performances,” Mr Lawani said.
The ceremony is expected to feature performances by Patoranking and gospel artiste Eben.
Live broadcast
Chairman of the Communication and Media Committee, Harry Iwuala, said the opening ceremony would be broadcast live on three national television networks.
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He listed the stations as Arise Television, African Independent Television (AIT) and News Central, with coverage scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Niger Delta Games is sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The multi-sport event is designed to foster grassroots sports development and strengthen regional unity among participating states in the Niger Delta.