National Sports Festival: Meet the mascot 'UZO' - the Eagle with an Antelope body

The Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, unveiled the official mascot and logo of the 21st National Sports Festival.

Unveiling the Mascot, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare described the festival as one of the most important event in the country.

Uzo is Eagle that has become Nigeria national symbol in the sports world. It connotes strength, pride, freedom, majesty and longevity of the nation.

The Eagle depicts the prestige of the athletes coming to participate in the national sports festival as they are all proud Nigerians irrespective of the tribe and Creed they belong to.

Uzo’s nicknamed Antelope come from it's body which is in form of an antelope, one of the most popular animals in the forests of Delta State.

The antelope represents the speed, agility and competitive spirit of Nigerian athletes, particularly Delta State athletes who have been dominating the sports festival for the last decade.

Delta state have won the sports festival seven times which made it sixth time in a row for the state. Team Delta won the 2021 festival in Edo state with 158 gold, 116 silver, and 110 bronze.

The colours of Delta State was adopted with the red elements on the mascot and they characterise valour, emotions, confidence, energy, passion and courage.

The Mascot is a symbolic representation of important aspects of the people of Delta state, Nigerian athletes and Nigerian sports as a whole.