Bauchi state has emerged overall winner of the 2025 Basic Education School Sports (BESS) competition, clinching 54 medals across sporting events.
Ipede Joseph, President, Nigeria Association of SUBEB Sport Officers Forum (NASSOF), announced this at the closing ceremony of the second edition of the competition, on Wednesday in Bauchi.
The final medal table showed that Bauchi clinched first position with 19 gold, 21 silver and 14 bronze medals, ahead of Delta, which finished second with 53 medals, while Kaduna State placed third with 23 medals.
Joseph said Delta had secured the hosting rights for the next edition of the BESS competition.
He commended the Bauchi government, the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), and participating states for the successful conduct of the 10-day sporting event, which featured young athletes from across Nigeria.
According to Joseph, BESS competition aims to discover young talents while strengthening cohesion and character development through sports participation at the foundational level of the education system.
Gov. Bala Mohammed commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for entrusting the hosting responsibility to the state.
Mohammed was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Lawal Rimin-Zayam.
He noted that more than 1,000 athletes and officials from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), participated in the tournament thus promoting unity, friendship and national integration among the Nigerian children.
Dr Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary, UBEC, said the tournament highlighted teamwork, discipline, talent and sportsmanship among pupils nationwide.
Represented by Abdullahi Shehu-Jarma, the secretary thanked stakeholders for their supports.
She underscored the importance of integrating sporting activities into basic education to nurture healthy, united and responsible citizens.
