Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has moved swiftly to punish underperformance after the state’s shock second-place finish at the just concluded 9th National Youth Games.
However, critics argue that the governor’s decision to demote his Executive Assistant on Sports, Festus Owhojero, while sparing the Sports Commission chairman, his younger brother, reveals a troubling layer of politics in the state’s sports administration.
The games, held from August 29 to September 6, 2025, in Asaba, marked the end of Delta’s unprecedented eight-year dominance in the National Youth Games.
Team Lagos emerged as champions for the first time in the history of the NYG, winning 52 gold medals to Delta’s 37.
Despite Delta amassing the highest total medal count (114), the lower number of golds relegated the hosts to second place, triggering a storm of criticism from fans, officials, and stakeholders who deemed the result unacceptable given the vast resources committed to the event.
Governor Oborevwori, visibly irked at the outcome, convened an emergency meeting with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and officials of the Delta State Sports Commission immediately after the closing ceremony.
Sources say he insisted that all funding requests had been approved and demanded a full report on failures in athlete selection, preparation, and logistics.
The most immediate fallout was the demotion of Owhojero, who had once served as Director-General of the Sports Commission, reassigned from Executive Assistant to Senior Special Assistant.
His removal was seen as the administration’s first major step toward accountability.
Yet, the move has drawn sharp criticism as many observers questioned why the Sports Commission chairman, Onoriode Oborevwori, was untouched despite holding direct responsibility for the state’s preparations.
“This looks less like accountability and more like selective punishment,” one sports analyst said. “If the governor wants to enforce performance standards, then sparing the commission leadership weakens that message.”
Oborevwori, in his public statements, shifted attention to broader systemic issues, denouncing age cheating by several participating states and urging the National Sports Commission to tighten age verification protocols to safeguard the youth development mandate of the games.
Meanwhile, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu hailed his state’s victory as proof of steady investment in grassroots sports, announcing plans to host a reception for the triumphant athletes. Edo State finished third with 33 gold medals, rounding out the top three.
Despite the disappointment, Delta remains a formidable sporting state, with 114 medals overall and plans already underway for the 10th edition of the NYG, which the state is set to host again in 2026 under an existing agreement.
Whether the fallout from this year’s games will sharpen its preparations or deepen internal political rifts remains to be seen.
