Team Delta, the reigning champions of the National Sports Festival, reaffirmed their dominance and flair on Sunday as they stole the spotlight during the opening ceremony of the 22nd edition of the festival held at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
With a reputation for consistent excellence, Team Delta arrived in style—over 700 athletes strong, clad in their signature vibrant kits and proudly displaying the trophy from the previous edition. Their spirited dance parade drew loud cheers from the crowd of over 10,000 spectators.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, represented by Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme, FCA, led the delegation and called on the athletes to maintain their championship pedigree. "Team Delta has won the National Sports Festival eight times. We expect nothing less this year. Go and bring the trophy home again," he charged.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, officially declared the festival open. In his address, he emphasized the unifying power of sports:
“Indeed, nothing has brought the nation together like sports—whether on the pitch, the court, or the track. We are reminded daily that we are not strangers to one another but compatriots drawn from different roots, drinking from the same well of national pride.”
The opening ceremony was graced by an array of dignitaries, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; Governors Charles Soludo (Anambra), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), and Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti); Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade; and former international football icon, Dr. Segun Odegbami.
With Team Delta already setting the pace, all eyes will be on them as they aim to extend their legacy in Abeokuta.
