A former director of sports in Bayelsa State, Sir Braveman Wodi has expressed optimism that the South-South territory will soon bounce back to regain its position among top teams to beat during major competitions in Nigeria.
Sports247 reports that Sir Wodi gave the verdict against the backdrop of Team Bayelsa’s slump to third position on the final medals table at this year’s Niger Delta Games, which ended last Thursday in Benin City, Edo State.
In contrast with their top spot from the first edition, Bayelsa were third this time with 25 gold, 24 silver and 26 bronze, while Delta placed second with 39-29-35; and hosts Edo got 52-34-25 to take over first place on the log.
The experienced sports administrator, who served as chairman of the Games’ screening committee, attributed Bayelsa State’s decline at Edo 2026 to the death of their former deputy governor, which led to administrative issues and low psychology among the athletes.
He, however, expressed strong optimism that the recent appointment of a new deputy governor for the state will help them overcome all their setbacks and predicted that Bayelsa’s sports fortunes will rebound.
Wodi pointed out, “Bayelsa State has a very good sports structure and I think their lull on the medals table somehow had to do with psychology, because we lost our deputy governor in December.
“Morale was low and it affected preparations, since sports is directly under the portfolio of the deputy governor. So, we had some hic-cups and administrative bottlenecks that culminated into what we saw in Benin City.
“However, I am sure that things will soon change, now that we have a new deputy governor who is sports personified … that’s talking about His Excellency, Pastor (Dr) Peter Akpe, who happened to begin his career as a sportsman.
“He was a martial artist, and he started at the Bayelsa State Sports Council as organizing secretary. He later retired and went on into politics. He is a man who knows what sports entails.
“So we are privileged that we have another deputy governor who knows much about sports, and it is a thing of joy that we have him. I know that the fortunes of Bayelsa sports will turn around, and it will only get better.”
