As the maiden South-South Basic Education School Games begin in Benin City on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, the Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon. Ebanehita Sonia Omonzane, has commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for sponsoring and hosting the grassroots sports event.
Hon. Ebanehita gave the commendation while speaking with sports journalists during the opening ceremony of the games at the main bowl of the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.
She described the tournament as a landmark achievement for both Edo State and the South-South geopolitical zone of the country
”I want to sincerely appreciate our Governor Senator, Monday Okpebholo, for accepting to sponsor and host the event. This is the first time the school games will be held in the zone” She noted that Edo State is privileged to serve as the pioneer host.
The stage is set for the historic grassroots sporting event proper as athletics, Ayo, wrestling, tennis, and other exciting games have been scheduled to keep the iconic Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City busy from tomorrow till November 22.
Hon. Omonzane expressed profound appreciation to the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, whose support and commitment made the hosting of the championship possible. She noted that the competition will play a pivotal role in discovering and nurturing young sports talents who could one day represent Edo State — and Nigeria — on national and international stages.
While also speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Chairman of Delta State SUBEB and Dean of South-South SUBEB Chairmen, Hon. Samuel Mariere, highlighted the significance of the initiative. He explained that the games are organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, to revive grassroots sports development programmes in the country.
According to him, the tournament is designed to rekindle the once-vibrant culture of school sports which gave birth to Headmaster’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, inter-house sports and local school competitions — which historically produced exceptional athletes who went on to represent their states and Nigeria with distinctions.
Hon. Mariere praised Governor Okpebholo for funding the event, insisting that such investment is crucial to repositioning basic education and sports in the region. He outlined the range of sports to be featured to include football, table tennis, Scrabble, athletics, chess, and several indoor games, all strategically selected to discover the diverse talents of young athletes.
He further revealed that athletes who excel at the zonal level will proceed to the national finals in Bauchi State on November 27, 2025, where they will compete against other zones across the country.
“While Edo is hosting the South-South games, other zones are simultaneously hosting theirs. It’s a nationwide talent-hunt project that will shape the future of Nigerian sports,” he emphasised
Participating states for the South-South edition include Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.