In the last couple of years Bayelsa State has been doing well in sports particularly in the last five years when the state put forth its credentials that it can be the best in the country. For instance, in 2022 the state teams, Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens, emerged as champions of the Aiteo Cup in both the male and female categories, the first time any state would achieve that feat.
In the same year, two Bayelsa State schools, St. Jude's Girls Secondary School and Bishop Dimeari Grammar School (BDGS) emerged as winners of both the male and female categories of the Nestle Milo All Secondary Schools Basketball Championship, again the first time any state would triumph in both the male and female categories in a single year. Both schools went on to prove their mettle at the global level at the International Schools Sports Federation (ISSF)-organised basketball championship in Belgrade, Serbia. At the end of the competition, BDGS came 3rd while St. Jude's Girls Secondary School was placed 5th over-all.
Late last year, St. Jude's Girls Secondary School were in Bahrain in far away Asia for the ISSF Gymnasiad. The Gymnasiad is a multi-sports Games like the Olympics. More than 160 schools were in attendance. The girls won silver after losing to Slovenia in the final of the basketball event of the 2024 ISSF Gymnasiad. Godwin Tejiri of Bishop Dimeari Grammar School won the 100, against all odds, won the 100metres event at the Gymnasiad.
At the 20th edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged Edo 2020, Bayelsa placed third, next to Edo and Delta states. Two years later, at Asaba 2022, the state clinched the second position.
These results were achieved with just the scanty facilities at the Sports Complex in Yenagoa. Going forward, the state is aiming to go higher in sports by complementing the efforts of the athletes with facilities. These facilities will facilitate the training of athletes. They will also place the state in a good stead to host national and international sports events.
To start with, the state government plans to construct a 25,000-capacity multi-purpose stadium close to the Ecumenical Centre at Igbogene, a suburb of Yenagoa. The stadium will have a standard football pitch as well as a training pitch, an Olympic-size swimming pool, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, as well as well as a hall for indoor games.
The state Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali, who stated this while fielding questions in a sports programme of a Yenagoa-based radio station said, "The football pitch will be FIFA-complaint, video assistant referee (VAR)-complainant, and it will be accessible for people with disability. So, we are looking at a stadium that will attract international competitions and something Bayelsans would be proud of."
Another project earmarked for construction include mini-stadium in each of the three Senatorial districts. Since Bayelsa East Senatorial District already has a mini-stadium in Nembe, attention would be focused on Bayelsa West and Bayelsa Central. Biogbolo, a suburb of Yenagoa is being proposed to host the mini-stadium of Bayelsa Central while that of Bayelsa West will be sited at Ebedebiri.
Also billed for construction is a basketball court for St. Jude's Girls Secondary School and Bishop Dimeari Grammar School (BDGS). The commissioner hinted that in all, there would be five basketball courts, with one each billed to be at the Ijaw National Academy, Kaiama, Sports Academy, Asoama and at the Permanent NYSC Orientation Camp, Boro Town. The basketball courts at St. Jude's Girls Secondary School and BGGS have been completed and ready for use.
The state government may wish to consider constructing more basketball courts because the five proposed courts are all in just two of the state's local government areas. The other six council areas certainly deserve basketball courts.
Dr Igali further disclosed that the Sports Academy at Asoama in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area will enjoy a boost as more facilities will be added to what is already on ground. Work at the wrestling gym at the Samson Siasia Stadium, which was stalled for sometime, has resumed in earnest.
To give bite to these intentions, Dr Igali said the state's 2025 budget has provision for the projects. A peep at the Bayelsa State 2025 budget shows that the sports development ministry was allocated a hefty N37.850 billion, the third highest in the budget of "Assured Prosperity", next only to works and infrastructure as well as education that received N178.761 bn and N47.111bn respectively. The amount allocated to sports is the highest the sector has ever received since the state was created in 1996. Dr Igali assured that the projects will commence in no distant time.
When these facilities are all completed it will afford the state athletes better training facilities just as budding athletes will have a platform to express themselves. In no distant time, the state will have more Jackson Bideis in wrestling, Gagbes in swimming, Quickpens in Chess, Tari Tikilis in squash as well as Samson Siasias and Finidi Georges in football.
Reacting to the state government's plans to put in place sports facilities, a sports enthusiast, Kennedy Baralaye said "for the government to be constructing so many facilities at about the same time, the state must certainly be aiming high in sports. No doubt the state is emerging as the sporting hub of the country".
