Retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama has been named head of the 2026 Government College Ughelli Relays, with organizers fixing the 8th edition for Saturday, November 14, 2026.
The date was confirmed by the President General Worldwide of the Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association, His Royal Majesty Albert Akpomudje, SAN, during the association’s National Executive Council meeting. The relays will keep to its tradition of holding on the second Saturday in November.
This year’s edition comes hot on the heels of the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, scheduled for October 31 to November 13. Nesiama will serve as one of the Technical Directors for the inaugural African edition of the Youth Olympics before returning to oversee the GCU Relays.
Nesiama, a former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and Chairman of the Nigeria Olympic Committee’s Technical and Development Commission, will be responsible for the organisation and technical delivery of the competition.
Organisers say they are working with the Delta State Sports Commission, which will provide the TimeTronics electronic timing system, and the Nigerian Association of Athletics Technical Officials to ensure a smooth meet.
More than 30 secondary schools and 500 student-athletes are expected at the tartan track of Government College Ughelli. The facility was built and donated to the school through the NNPC-SHELL Joint Venture.
Now in its 9th year, with one edition missed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the GCU Relays has grown into a key platform for reviving old-school rivalries in Nigerian athletics.
The NEC also approved other GCUOBA activities for the year, including the association’s annual dinner in Benin City in October and the Lagos Luncheon in December.
With its mix of inter-school competition, talent development, and tradition, the relays continues to give young athletes a national stage to showcase their abilities.
