Bayelsa Govt Moves To Revive State Sports Festival As Premium Trust Bank Rewards Prosperity Cup Winners
The Bayelsa State Government has announced plans to revive the annual State Sports Festival as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots sports development and discover young talents across the state.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, made the disclosure through his deputy, Dr. Peter Pereotubo Akpe, shortly after the weekly Prosperity Walk and the presentation of cheques to winners of the Prosperity Cup by Premium Trust Bank at the Main Bowl of the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa.
Speaking at the event, the deputy governor called on corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals to support the revival and sustenance of the Bayelsa State Sports Festival, noting that sports development should not be left solely in the hands of government.
He stressed the need for a deliberate and sustainable grassroots talent development programme to identify and nurture young athletes across various sporting disciplines in the state.
According to him, the current Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Dr. Daniel Baraladei Igali, was discovered through a grassroots wrestling programme many years ago, emphasizing the importance of early talent discovery.
Akpe lamented the trend of states poaching athletes from other parts of the country for national competitions, insisting that Bayelsa must focus on producing and developing homegrown talents.
He commended organizers of the Prosperity Cup for revitalizing grassroots football development in the state and revealed that discussions had already resumed with the Sports Commissioner on plans to organize local government and state sports festivals.
“This is the time for the state to take a deliberate, intentional approach that will foster credible sports development across every corner of Bayelsa,” he stated.
The deputy governor also applauded residents for participating massively in the weekly Prosperity Walk, describing the exercise as a healthy initiative that promotes wellness and fitness among the people.
He further praised Premium Trust Bank and other sponsors of the Prosperity Cup for supporting sports development in the state, urging more private organizations and individuals to emulate their example.
Akpe invited the bank to partner with the state government in hosting the proposed State Sports Festival, which was last held in 2023, expressing confidence that adequate funding could be mobilized through private partnerships and the expertise of the Prosperity Cup organizers without direct government intervention.
The deputy governor also acknowledged the achievements of Bayelsa’s para-athletes, who finished second at the last Para Games, assuring them of government recognition and rewards in due course.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Premium Trust Bank, Dr. Emmanuel Emefienim, represented by the bank’s South-South Regional Manager, Mr. Danjuma Omeje, described Season 8 of the Prosperity Cup as significant because it coincided with the bank’s fourth anniversary.
Omeje disclosed that the bank recently recorded ₦177 billion Profit Before Tax, describing it as a landmark achievement in Nigeria’s banking sector. He reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting sports development in Bayelsa State.
Director-General of the Prosperity Cup, Mr. Ono Akpe, appreciated Governor Diri and Bayelsans for their continued support for the tournament.
He announced that five talents discovered during the Prosperity Cup had been selected by Coach Augustine Eguavoen and his technical crew to join the Flying Eagles national camping programme in Abuja beginning on May 24, 2026.
According to him, four of the players will join the U-20 national team, while one player will join the U-23 team ahead of the final screening exercise for the national squads.
Akpe further revealed that, for the first time, the Prosperity Cup champions and a select tournament team had secured slots in the Nationwide League One (NLO), scheduled to commence on June 24, 2026.
He added that the NLO had formally requested that Yenagoa be designated as an official centre for the competition, describing the development as a major boost for football and sports development in Bayelsa State.
