By Our Reporter
As part of activities lined up to commemorate the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, the Edo State Sports Commission, under the leadership of Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has announced a major grassroots talent hunt programme tagged “Discovering Tomorrow’s Stars.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Media Aide, Edoko Wilson Edoko,
Enabulele disclosed that the initiative is aimed at identifying and nurturing young sporting talents across selected schools within the Benin City metropolis.
According to the Executive Chairman, 20 selected schools will participate in the talent discovery programme, with 10 athletes of mixed gender representing each school in various sporting events.
“When we assumed office, we were handed a mandate to go to the grassroots and ‘Catch Them Young,’ in line with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s grassroots-driven sports development vision under the SHINE Agenda. This is exactly what we intend to achieve with this project,” Enabulele stated.
He revealed that a total of 270 athletes are expected to compete across eight sports, including Athletics, Judo, Karate, Kung Fu, Wrestling, Taekwondo, Boxing, and Kickboxing.
“Athletics will produce the highest number of participants with 200 athletes, while the seven combat sports — Judo, Karate, Kung Fu, Wrestling, Taekwondo, Boxing, and Kickboxing — will each feature 10 athletes,” he added.
Enabulele further noted that all participating athletes would receive certificates of participation as part of efforts to encourage youth involvement in sports and promote grassroots sports development.
“To ensure the smooth conduct of the programme, 45 technical officials have been drafted for the event, including 10 officials for athletics and five officials each for the seven combat sports,” he said.
The “Discovering Tomorrow’s Stars” initiative is one of the strategic programmes being deployed by the Commission to uncover fresh talents capable of representing Edo State and Nigeria in future national and international sporting competitions.
The event is scheduled to commence on Thursday, May 21, 2026, by 9:00 a.m. in Benin City, Edo State.