Cross River governor Otu pledges support for Nigeria kabaddi team

Cross River State Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu pledged support for Nigeria’s kabaddi team ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, promising that his government would assess what help it could give and ordering officials to sort out the squad’s travel arrangements to Lagos.

Otu made the commitment while receiving members of the Nigerian kabaddi team and sports stakeholders. For a sport still finding its feet in Nigeria, the backing carries weight: the delegation’s leader, Daniel Damola, described Otu as the first governor in the country to endorse the discipline.

Otu promised an assessment, not a blank cheque

The governor framed the meeting around his administration’s wider approach to sport, saying it remained a priority because of its potential to create professional opportunities, empower young people and stimulate economic growth. He added that sporting activity offered benefits well beyond recreation.

“It has actually been a policy to encourage sports in all ramifications of it,” Otu said.

He described sport as an important route to professional advancement and financial reward, and said the government was committed to creating an enabling environment for athletes. But he was clear that the state could not carry the load by itself.

“The world over, it has become clear that government alone cannot sponsor sports. Private entities have to come into it to be able to provide the modern facilities that are required,” he said.

Otu praised the athletes for their dedication and sacrifices and said his administration would carry out the necessary assessment to decide on appropriate support for their participation in the championship. No figure or specific package was announced.

He was upbeat about the team’s chances and urged the players to come home with medals and honours that would inspire young people across Cross River State. At the same time, he acknowledged that not every athlete would win, noting that competing at international level would still provide valuable experience and motivation for future championships.

Travel to Lagos landed on the governor’s desk

The most immediate practical step from the meeting concerned logistics. Otu directed officials to look into the team’s travel to Lagos ahead of the competition, asking them to confirm flight availability and facilitate the necessary arrangements, including tickets.

The report did not say when the meeting took place, when the team was due to travel, or how many players were in the delegation.

Delegation says Ahmedabad delegates voted to honour Otu

Damola thanked the governor for supporting the introduction and development of kabaddi in Cross River State. He explained that kabaddi, which enjoys considerable popularity in Asian countries, was gradually expanding its presence across Africa.

He also disclosed that at a delegates’ meeting in Ahmedabad, India, the governor’s support for the sport was presented to international representatives, who then voted to recognise his contribution to kabaddi’s development. According to Damola, that recognition is scheduled for 29 October 2026 in India. Details of the proposed award had not been independently confirmed.

The delegation said it was confident that the governor’s backing would encourage more young people to see sport as a pathway to personal development, professional achievement and community recognition.

Technical head Collins Eko praised Otu’s continued interest in sport and said he was confident the athletes would represent Cross River State and Nigeria creditably. Eko pledged that the team would give its best, adding that taking part in the championship would help raise the profile of kabaddi in Nigeria and draw more young people to the game.

The next steps are the state’s assessment of support for the squad and confirmation of its travel arrangements, with the recognition Damola described due on 29 October 2026 in India.