Hy David Owei,
Bayelsa

Benjamin Opuama, 17-year old Norwegian sprint sensation and son of former Bayelsa United footballer, Franklin Opuama, has donated spike shoes to athletes of the State Athletics Association.

Benjamin, whose father, Franklin hails from Okodi community in Ogbia Local Government Area, is on holiday in Yenagoa and made the donation during a training session at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Ovom, Yenagoa.

Presenting the items on behalf of the young sprinter, secretary of Bayelsa Football Association, Mr. Diseiye Nwakwe, said the gesture reflected Mr. Franklin Opuama’s enduring passion for sports development in Bayelsa despite residing abroad.

He noted that giving back to the system that nurtured him is both a responsibility and a privilege, especially at a time when athletes require modern equipment to compete favourably at state, national, and international levels.

Receiving the items, the Chairman of Bayelsa State Athletics Association, Dr. Kolawole Oredipe, expressed profound gratitude to Mr. Opuama and his son for their generosity and thoughtfulness.

Dr. Oredipe who is also the Auditor of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, described the donation as timely and impactful, stressing that proper gear such as spike shoes play a critical role in improving speed, traction, and overall performance.

The Bayelsa Athletics boss who urged young Franklin to prepare to represent Nigeria in future competitions, also reiterated that Governor Douye Diri has approved the renovation of the tartan tracks at the sports complex, which he noted underscores the state government’s continued investment in sports infrastructure and determination to create an enabling environment for athletes to thrive.

The event concluded with words of encouragement to the athletes who expressed appreciation for the support and renewed their commitment to bringing honour to the State through outstanding performances, even as they prepare for the 2nd edition of the Niger Delta Games holding in Benin City, Edo State.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

The Festival Torch for the 2nd Niger Delta Games has been lit in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Receiving the Torch at the ceremony which took place at the Samson Siasia Complex, Governor Douye Diri commended the organisers, the Niger Delta Development Commission and Dunamis Icon Limited for initiating the Games.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Sport, Daniel Igali said the fiesta which is the first regional Sports Festival in the country had placed the Niger Delta region as the leader in Sport Development.

“Let me thank the organisers, the Niger Delta Development Commission and Dunamis Icon Limited for initiating the Games.

With this initiative, they have placed the Niger Delta States ahead of every other region in the country. So, we commend them for this and we hope that they would even put up a bigger and better tournament this time” he stated.

He expressed optimism that Team Bayelsa would excel at the Niger Delta Games in Benin City and top the overall medals table just as they did in the inaugural edition in Uyo last year, promising to provide the necessary support for the athletes to do the State proud.

The Chairman/CEO of the project consultants for the Niger Delta Games, Dunamis Icon Limited, Chief Itiako Ikpokpo represented by the Secretary of the Liaison Committee for Bayelsa State, Mr. Loveday Herbert said the lighting of the Festival Torch was a critical aspect of the fiesta.

“The Lighting of the Festival Torch represents unity of all the States in the Niger Delta region. The goal of every sporting event is to unify participating States, athletes and officials. It is used to foster a spirit of friendship and compete in a fair competitive environment” he explained.

While commending the Bayelsa State government for receiving the festival torch, he gave an assurance that the best of facilities and organization had been put in place to ensure a successful Sports Festival.

The ceremony was attended by the Director of the Bayelsa State Sports Council, Mr. Andrew Aye, and other top management officials of the Sports Council, the Technical Adviser on Sports, Mr. Alaowei Opukeme, the Director, New Media of the Bayelsa State government and Chairman of the State Athletics Association, Dr. Kola Oredipe, coaches, athletes among others.

The 2nd edition of Niger Delta Games will formally open on Friday, February 20, while the Closing ceremony takes place on Thursday, February 26.

By David Owei

As Football Club Barcelona prepares to activate their International Advisory role with the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, two key technical staff who will be central to the partnership are Bernat Villa Gorriz and Alberto Lafuente Rincón.

Bernat Villa Gorriz is an experienced football coach, technical director, and football development specialist. He has over 15 years professional experience in elite player development, coaching education, and international football projects.

With a degree in Industrial Engineering and the UEFA-A Coaching License, combining strong analytical skills with high-level coaching expertise, Gorriz began his coaching career in Catalonia, working with well-known clubs such as youth-focused CF Damm, Atlètic Sant Just FC, and Sant Cugat FC.

From these experiences, he built a solid foundation in youth development and competitive football.

In 2013, he joined FC Barcelona as a coach at the Barça Academy, contributing to the development of young talents through the club’s renowned training methodology. In 2016, he was appointed Technical Director of the Barça Academy Lagos (Nigeria), leading the sporting structure, coach education programmes, and player development strategy.

Three years later, in 2019, Gorriz became the Technical Director of Barça Academy for the Americas region, overseeing multiple academies and implementing FC Barcelona’s training standards across the continent.

In 2023, he was assigned as Technical Director of Barça Academy for the regions of America, Europe & Africa, managing large-scale international projects, coach education systems, and strategic development plans.

In 2024, Gorriz was appointed Technical Director of Barça Academy for the regions of Europe & Africa, as well as Project Manager for Africa within the FC Barcelona Scouting Department, leading talent identification strategies and long-term development projects across the continent.

On his part, Alberto Lafuente Rincón is a senior football executive and technical leader with over 10 years of international experience in elite player development, coach education, and the strategic management of high-performance football projects.

Armed with a degree in Sports Science and the UEFA-B Coaching License, he combines a strong analytical background with executive-level expertise in football methodology, talent development systems, and organizational leadership.

Lafuente Rincón began his professional career in Spain, working within established club structures such as CD Numancia, where he developed a solid understanding of youth academies, competitive environments, and long-term performance models.

In 2018, he joined Barça Academy in Lagos, contributing to the implementation of FC Barcelona’s global methodology in Nigeria and supporting the development of elite youth talent within an international framework.

A year later in 2019, he was appointed Technical Director of Barça Academy Pune (India), assuming full responsibility of the academy’s sporting strategy.

His role included designing and leading the technical structure, overseeing coach education programmes, and aligning player development processes with FC Barcelona’s global standards.

From 2019 to 2025, Lafuente Rincón has been appointed as Technical Director across multiple international Barça Academy projects, including Dubai, the United States, and Japan, ensuring technical coherence, methodological consistency, and operational excellence across diverse football markets.

In parallel, he has acted as Global Camp Coordinator, leading Barça Academy camps worldwide (Taiwan, Australia, Argentina, Colombia), delivering standardized coach education frameworks and strategic development plans aimed at sustainable, long-term football growth.

For Bayelsa State and her talented young footballers and coaches, these high profile officials from FC Barcelona of Spain may just be the trigger of dreams realized.