2026 MFM Youth Games Ends with Praise for Organisers

Athletes, coaches, and other participants at the 2026 Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) Youth Games commended organisers on Friday for successfully hosting the 10-day competition, which attracted more than 1,000 athletes.

The 10th edition of the grassroots sport’s development initiative ran from September 3 to 17 at the Mountain Top University Sports Complex, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ibafo, Ogun State. The competition featured football, basketball, athletics, table tennis, scrabble, and chess, among other sporting events.

A Ministry Outreach Through Sport

Pastor Kunle Adesanya, a representative of MFM, said the Youth Games forms part of the church's Evangelism Ministry efforts to reach young people through sports. He explained that the ministry, through its Explosive Evangelism Initiative (EEI), has consistently used football and other sports as tools for youth outreach. "Through its Explosive Evangelism Initiative (EEI), the ministry has used football and other sports as tools for outreach to many youths. The belief is simple: engage youths through what they love, and create space for the Gospel to be heard," he said.

Adesanya added that the Youth Games also forms part of the "Youth Repositioning Agenda" — a 70-point holistic empowerment initiative introduced by the General Overseer of MFM Worldwide, Dr Daniel Olukoya. According to him, the initiative is designed to rescue young people from vices, tackle unemployment, and build their spiritual, moral, and economic capacity, while helping talented Nigerian youths develop their skills and fulfil their potential.

Athletes Reflect on the Experience

One of the athletes, 12-year-old Ese Osogono, a JSS 3 student at Sound Knowledge High School, Alagbole, said the competition helped her discover her talent in athletics. Osogono, who represented Akute/Alagbole/Oke Aro Mega Region Team 14, won a bronze medal in the 200m event. "The game is an eye-opener for me. Before, I didn't believe in my ability, but my coach assured me that I could do it, and I eventually won bronze in the 200m category of athletics. This is my first time participating in any competition in athletics, and I think I will go further to pursue a career in athletics, if my parents permit," she said.

Similarly, basketball player and silver medallist Yinka Albert commended the standard of the competition, noting that participants benefited significantly from their coaches' guidance. He said the quality of play demonstrated that some players had the potential to compete at amateur and professional levels. "What I have seen in this competition is a standard that can be compared to national trials, and the organisers deserve kudos for a job well done," he said.

Former Nigeria U17 captain Uduka Ugbade also praised MFM for organising the competition. Ugbade, who captained Nigeria to victory at the 1985 FIFA U16 World Championship in China, said the event demonstrated the potential of using sports as a tool for evangelism and youth development. He suggested that additional sporting events could be introduced in future editions to further expand the competition's scope. "The Games is not only football, it's all-encompassing sports in general, and maybe by next year I will suggest that the organisers should add maybe one or two sports to it. There can be no evangelism through sports that can be as great as this because it is practical," he said.

Team Headquarters Emerges Overall Winner

The Team Headquarters emerged overall winners with six medals, comprising four gold and two silver. Team Abeokuta Region finished second with 10 medals — three gold, five silver, and two bronze — while Team FESTAC Region placed third with two silver medals. Team Igando/Ipaja Region and Youth Ministry each secured one bronze medal.

The competition concluded with the presentation of trophies, medals, and other prizes to outstanding teams and athletes across all categories.

Overall Final Results

Scrabble (Male): Gold — David Idris (Team Headquarters); Silver — Hebrew Sado (Team Headquarters); Bronze — David Otiera (Team Surulere/Ejigbo)

Scrabble (Female): Gold — Favour Ologbonsaye (Team Headquarters); Silver — Chidinma Nnadikwe (Team Headquarters); Bronze — Maria Adekunbi (Team Oshodi/Gbagada)

Table Tennis Mixed Doubles: Gold — Semilore Kehinde/Rihanat Olanrewaju (Youth Ministry); Silver — Qudus Surmer/Akanbi Kehinde (Team Headquarters); Bronze — Olamilekan Kehinde/Joy Emmanuel (Youth Ministry) and Qudus Adebowale Akinyemi/Akanbi Taiwo (Team Headquarters)

Table Tennis Women's Singles: Gold — Joy Emmanuel (Youth Ministry); Silver — Akanbi Taiwo (Team Headquarters); Bronze — Adejoke Mutiat (Youth Ministry)/Akanbi Kehinde (Team Headquarters)

Table Tennis Men's Singles: Gold — Qudus Surmer (Team Headquarters); Silver — Adebowale Akinyemi (Team Headquarters); Bronze — Semilore Kehinde (Youth Ministry)/Abdulateef Abdusalam (Youth Ministry)

Chess: Gold — MFM Headquarters; Silver — MFM Mega Region Ayobo; Bronze — MFM Lekki

Overall Best Male: Gold — Badmus Oluwatobiloba Abdulgafar (Team Headquarters); Silver — Samuel Oyebode (MFM Ejigbo); Bronze — Adebanjo Daniel Oluwatomisin (Team Headquarters)

Overall Best Female: Gold — Semilore Atilade (Team Mega Region Ayobo); Silver — Jimoh Anuoluwapo (Team Headquarters); Bronze — Patrick Floresaint (Team Headquarters)

Basketball (Female): 1st — MFM Youth Ministry; 2nd — Team Oshodi/Gbagada

Basketball (Male): 1st — Team Headquarters; 2nd — Team Oshodi/Gbagada

Athletics — Girls' 100m: Gold — Aremu Taiwo (Team Headquarters); Silver — Chimamanda Enyi (Team Abeokuta); Bronze — Esther Sowunmi (Team Abeokuta)

Athletics — Boys' 100m: Gold — Samuel Odedegi (Team Headquarters); Silver — Kola Odunayo (Team Abeokuta); Bronze — Bright Igwe (Team Igando/Ipaja)

Athletics — Girls' 200m: Gold — Sowunmi Esther (Team Abeokuta); Silver — Chimamanda Enyi (Team Abeokuta); Bronze — Fadekemi Ojiketu (Team FESTAC)

Athletics — Boys' 200m: Gold — Olorunwa Funso (Team Headquarters); Silver — Kola Odunayo (Team Abeokuta); Bronze — Bright Bamidele (Team Abeokuta)

4x100m Girls' Relay: Gold — Team Abeokuta; Silver — Team Headquarters; Bronze — Youth Ministry

4x100m Boys' Relay: Gold — Team Abeokuta; Silver — Team Headquarters; Bronze — Team Oshodi/Gbagada

4x100m Mixed Relay: Gold — Team Headquarters; Silver — Team Abeokuta; Bronze — Team FESTAC

Football (Male): 1st — Team Headquarters; 2nd — Team Oshodi/Gbagada; 3rd — Team Surulere/Ejigbo