The Games Torch for the 2nd Niger Delta Games began its journey to Benin, Edo State, on Monday, 9 February, in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Torch, the symbol of the Games, will pass through the capitals of all nine participating states in the Niger Delta region.
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In Calabar, the Torchbearer, Patience Okon George, led some Sports Commission officials and athletes from the U.J. Esuene Stadium to the Governor’s office, where they were officially received by the state’s Deputy Governor, Peter Odey and Itiako Ikpokpo, the Chairman of Dunamis-Icon Limited, organisers of the games.
A colourful procession which included young men and women dressed in the famous Calabar Carnival costumes. They danced to local Efik tunes belted from loudspeakers mounted on trucks.
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Mr Odey, who stood in for Governor Bassey Otu, assured the state athletes that they would be adequately provided with equipment and welfare support to excel at the games, charging them to compete fairly to win in all the sports.
Mr Ikpokpo commended the State Liaison Committee members for organising an entertaining Torch Tour and encouraged other states to design their own unique tour event.
According to a release by organisers of the games, Akwa Ibom State is the next stop for the Torch on 10 February. It will then proceed to Abia on the 11th, Imo on 12th February and Rivers State on 13 February.
Bayelsa will host the Games Torch on 14 February, while Delta State will receive it on 16 February, from where it proceeds to Ondo on the 18th.
The Games Torch would light the cauldron at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to symbolise the start of the Games on the opening day, and on the last day, it would be handed over to the next host state.
The Niger Delta Games are organised by Dunamis-Icon Limited and sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
