Bauchi holds 4th edition of sports festival to discover, mould raw talents, as Commissioner charges sports officers to produce quality, disciplined athletes

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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi

The fourth edition of the Bauchi State Sports Festival is set to hold between 13th to 20th of December 2025 aimed at discovering raw talents that will be groomed to become national and international champions.

The disclosure was made by the State Commissioner of Sports and Youths Development, Adamu Babayo Gabarin, while addressing Sports Officers from the 20 LGAs of the State on Saturday.

The Commissioner used the meeting to urge the Sports Officers to ensure that they produced quality, hard working and disciplined athletes during the sports festival.

The seminar was organised by the Ministry in collaboration with the State Sports Council in preparations of the festival as scheduled.

The Commissioner was represented by overseeing Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim saying, the Ministry has made all the necessary arrangements for a successful festival.

He explained that the arrangements include medical, security and other necessary logistics, hence the need for Sports Officers to present more oriented athletes to ensure success of the event.

Adamu Babayo Gabarin also said, the purpose of organizing the festival was to fish out hidden talents among the raw talents abounding in the local government areas and used them in future competitions, especially at zonal and national events.

While calling on the participants to conduct themselves in orderly manner, the Commissioner charged officiating officials to be just and fair during games, saying the era of cheating and bringing machineries has gone.

Adamu Babayo Gabarin added that, the State Government has a plans to upgrade and construct new sports facilities across the local governments to improve sporting activities in the state.

Also speaking, Head of Technical, Bauchi State Sports Council, Coach Bala Magaji Juwara explained that the seminar will help in mobilizing and educating local government Sports Officers on the new rules of the game concerning the upcoming state festival.

On his part, Head of Planning, Salisu Garba said, the seminar will give chance to Sports administrators in the State to collect appropriate data from Sports Officers on the talented and hardworking athletes.

Speaking on behalf of the Local Governments Sports Officers, Abdulmalik Aminu of the Bauchi Local Government, thanked the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development for organizing the seminar.

He said that the knowledge acquired will be extended to other colleagues for wider understanding of the rules of the game, ensuring to go back and start mobilizing athletes ahead of the state festival.

More than 12 events involving males and females categories in Athletics, Gymnastics, Badminton, Football, Handball, Basketball, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Cycling, Kokawa, Dambe among others are expected to be competed for during the competition.