…As Gov Eno Approves Training For 155 Teen Golfers
Itu Local Government Area has emerged overall champions of the 2026 Akwa Ibom State Sports Festival after topping the medals table with 108 medals.
Uruan Local Government Area finished second with 83 medals, while Etinan placed third with 51 medals. Uyo, the state capital, narrowly missed out on a podium finish with 50 medals, according to figures released by the Main Organising Committee on Sunday at the Uyo Township Stadium.
The result marks a successful title defence for Itu, which also won gold at the 2025 edition, followed by Uyo in second and Nsit Atai in third.
Meanwhile, Governor Umo Eno has approved the immediate training of 155 teenage golfers drawn from across the state as part of a new talent development initiative.
The Governor, who was represented at the closing ceremony by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, said five young golfers will be selected from each of the 31 Local Government Areas for free training ahead of the 2027 Sports Festival.
Henceforth, all local governments will be required to provide five young golfers each for them to train free of charge, preparatory to next year’s festival, Governor Eno said.
He disclosed that the management of the Uyo Golf Club has agreed to take charge of grooming the young talents.
The Captain of Ibom Golf Club, Isua Archibong, commended the state government for including golf in the festival, saying the move will boost the tourism potential of the state. He said the programme will admit U16 boys and girls and urged Local Government authorities to take advantage of the 18-hole Ibom Golf Course and the 9-hole course at the ARISE Palm Park.
Governor Eno noted that the Sports Festival has continued to grow, with competitive sports increasing from 18 to 27 disciplines and about 4,000 young athletes participating in the 2026 edition.
He assured that medal winners and participating local governments will be recognised and rewarded as was done after the 2025 festival, adding that his administration aims to transform the festival from a quadrennial showcase into a sustained pipeline for discovering and developing future champions for the state.
