Team Edo Dominate Inaugural Gov. Otti Judo Championship, Clinch Team Event Gold

Posted : 07 November 2026

Edo State underlined their dominance in Nigerian judo by emerging overall champions of the inaugural Gov. Alex Otti National Open Senior Judo Championship, which ended in Umuahia, Abia, on Wednesday.

The Edo judokas finished top of the medals table with 11 medals, comprising four gold, three silver and four bronze, rounding off an impressive campaign with victory in the team event on the championship's final day.

Akwa Ibom State finished runners-up with nine medals, including four gold, two silver and three bronze, while Rivers State secured third position with four medals, made up of two gold, one silver and one bronze.

Emmy Star placed fourth with four medals, comprising one gold, two silver and one bronze, while Enugu State occupied fifth position with one gold, one silver and three bronze medals.

Host state Abia finished sixth with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals, followed by Kano in seventh with one gold and one silver.

Ogun State placed eighth with one gold and three bronze medals, while Bayelsa finished ninth with two silver and one bronze.

The Nigeria Police Force occupied 10th position with one silver and two bronze medals, followed by Benue State in 11th with one silver and one bronze.

Imo State finished 12th with three bronze medals, while Delta occupied 13th position with two bronze medals.

Cross River, Wakuta and Osun completed the standings, each winning one bronze medal.

Edo further demonstrated their superiority by winning the team event, with Enugu claiming silver, while Wakuta and Emmy Star shared the bronze medals.

Meanwhile, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has pledged his administration's commitment to sustaining the national championship as part of efforts to promote sports development and tackle youth restiveness.

Otti, represented by his Deputy, Engineer Ikechukwu Emetu, said the state government viewed sports as an important platform for youth empowerment, talent discovery and positive engagement.

He said: “Our administration is committed to sustaining this championship because we believe sports have an important role to play in engaging our young people and addressing youth restiveness.

“We want to continue providing opportunities for young people to discover and develop their talents through sports. This championship is one of the platforms through which we can achieve that objective.”

The Deputy Governor also expressed confidence in Abia's capacity to host international judo competitions, signalling the state's ambition to attract bigger sporting events in the future.

“Abia State has the capacity to host an international judo championship. We are ready to support the growth of the sport and provide opportunities for athletes from different countries to compete here,” Emetu said.

The inaugural competition provided a platform for states and other participating teams to showcase their talents, while reinforcing the potential of judo as a vehicle for youth development and sporting excellence in Nigeria.

The championship also highlighted Edo State's strength in Nigerian judo, while Abia State's commitment to sustaining the competition signals an effort to create more opportunities for athletes and strengthen the sport's development across the country.

Team Edo Dominate Inaugural Gov. Otti Judo Championship, Clinch Team Event Gold

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