How Iyaye ‘ll Interpret Ogbuku’s Peace Dreams For N/Delta
3 min read

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria, has dreams for the country. For the Niger Delta which used to be the hotbed of violence, he has dreams-dreams of peaceful co-existence, dreams of cohesion, dreams of stability, dreams of uninterrupted flow of crude oil and all.
To give life to his dreams, he chose Dr Sam Ogbuku to manage the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. In effect, he decided to have the Bayelsa born administrator to lead the team that will give expression to his dreams for the region.
Ogbuku appears to be good at doing what Mr president expected of him. Just last week, leaders from the region under the banner of PANDEF, that is the Pan Niger Delta Development Forum, visited the NDDC to tell Ogbuku to his face, that his is undoubtedly interpreting Tinubu’s development dreams for the region.
PANDEF’s National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, known for his forthrightness and bluntness, said “we have never seen a leadership team like this, and we thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support. Your interventions in infrastructure, particularly the Benin-Ore road and the Light Up Niger Delta initiative, are commendable. Your youth development programmes are also making a significant impact.”
Just like Ogbuku is efficiently interpreting Tinubu’s dream, the MD has chosen Boma Iyaye, a sports guru, currently the Executive Director, Finance and Administration in the commission, to interpret his own peace dreams for the region.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the NDDC, Ogbuku is introducing something novel. Just like he organized the very first stakeholders’ summit in Port Harcourt last year, he is introducing the Niger Delta Sports Festival, which will bring together everyone from the region for sporting activities which is seen as a veritable tool to keep the youths busy and useful.
Ogbuku chose Iyaye to drive the vision. A perfect choice, that is. Iyaye stands out as the only person who has served in the state ministry of sports as commissioner for a cumulative period of more than a decade. Between April 4 2008 and June 4, 2009, he was commissioner for sports in Rivers State.
Between July 2009 and June 2011, Iyaye was brought back by the then governor, Rotimi Amaechi to serve in the same ministry.
When Nyesom Wike took over from Amaechi, he still found him worthy, capable and useful. He still appointed him to run the ministry, between 2015 and 2017. So, Ogbuku’s choice of Iyaye as the man to drive the first sports festival that will see all the nine states of the federation participate, cannot be a mistake.
Iyaye is already working with sports commissioners from the nine states to ensure a successful outing in Uyo where the festival is to hold. While meeting with the sports commissioners as part of the planning, Iyaye said: “We all know the importance of sports in our society. It will curb crime and provide opportunities for our youths to build their careers. This initiative will bring the region together and give talented athletes from the grassroots the platform they deserve.”
He announced that the sports festival, which will be held between April 1 and 9, 2025, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, will serve as a major platform to celebrate the region’s talents in sports, music, comedy, and entertainment.
According to him, “the festival is designed not just as a competition but as a long-term investment in the future of sports in the Niger Delta. One of its key objectives is establishing an annual sporting event that will ensure continuous talent development. By identifying and nurturing young athletes, the NDDC aims to create opportunities for them to compete at national and international levels, positioning the region in the limelight of Nigerian sports.
The Project Consultant, Mr. Itiako Ikpokpo, noted that the planning process had taken over a year and a half, and the festival’s execution phase was now underway. The consultant’s director of the organisation, Mr Fred Edoreh, also spoke, emphasising the NDDC’s determination to reach the grassroots by working with state sports commissions and setting up liaison committees.
He noted: “The NDDC is bridging the gap in sports development by ensuring that talent discovery extends beyond city centres to the local communities. We will also provide mentoring, career education, and scouting opportunities for young athletes.”