The Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development has reinstated three traditional sports in the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.

This is following the public outcry, which greeted the exclusion of traditional sports from the 21st edition of the biennial games slated for November 28 to December 10.

According to the letter signed by Okere Emmanuel, Secretary Accreditation Sub-Committee, to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the reinstated traditional sports are Ayo, Dambe and Kokowa.

Reacting to the return of Ayo, Dambe and Kokowa to the 2022 NSF, the President of Traditional Sports Federation, Hon. Agbadabina Olomo Perekiye, expressed gratitude to the sports minister for listening to the cries of traditional sports athletes and other stakeholders.

He said that even as some traditional sports like Abula and Langa are still excluded, the federation will continue to fight for their reinstatement at future sports festivals.

Perekiye also called on states to show more than passive interest in traditional sports as he said the federation alone can’t promote indigenous sports.