Shendam Local Government Area on Saturday, December 27, 2025, showcased its growing investment in youth development with a guided tour of the nearly completed Shendam Sports Centre, an initiative aimed at engaging young people productively and strengthening social cohesion. The tour formed part of activities marking the 2025 Shendam Hike and Sports programme, which also featured a hike to Jalbang Mountain and drew participants from across Plateau State, Nigeria, and the diaspora.

The hike, held at Jalbang Mountain, attracted a diverse mix of youths, sports enthusiasts, bikers, community leaders, corps members, and visitors from countries including Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Syria, underscoring the tourism potential of Shendam and Plateau State at large.

Speaking during the event, the Executive Chairman of Shendam Local Government Area, Hon. Dr. Kemi Nicholas Nshe, said the programme was deliberately designed to promote unity, peaceful coexistence, and tourism, while keeping young people positively engaged.

According to him, the gathering went beyond politics and was focused on building bridges across communities and cultures. He noted that the presence of visitors from different parts of Nigeria and outside the country showed that Shendam was gradually positioning itself as a hub for tourism and social interaction.

He explained that engaging youths through sports, hiking, and recreational activities was a deliberate strategy to curb crime and social vices. “When youths are engaged, society is safer,” Nshe said, adding that idle youths often form the bulk of those found in police stations, courts, and correctional centres.

The chairman highlighted ongoing investments in sports infrastructure, including the Shendam Sports Centre and the Shendam Mini Stadium, which he said he conceived and initiated. He disclosed that the mini stadium project, initially estimated at about ₦150 million and now valued at over ₦200 million due to inflation, would cost several billions if undertaken today. He expressed optimism that both facilities would be completed before the end of the following year and equipped with modern features such as synthetic turf.

Earlier, Hon. Musa Ibrahim Ashoms, Plateau State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, described the 2025 Shendam Hike as historic and praised the Shendam Local Government chairman for what he called purpose-driven leadership.

Ashoms said the programme was not just a Shendam event but a Plateau-wide initiative, given the wide participation of youths from different backgrounds. He stressed that such activities provided a healthy outlet for young people to channel their energy, especially during the Yuletide season.

He also revealed that Plateau State had previously lacked key sports infrastructure, noting that during the Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA), swimming events had to be held in Abuja due to the absence of an Olympic-size swimming pool on the Plateau. He expressed confidence that the emerging facilities in Shendam would soon produce medal-winning athletes for the state.

The commissioner commended the sports complex, which he said includes facilities for football, volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis, swimming, and recreational spaces like the Love Garden. According to him, the development would not only attract sporting activities but also boost tourism, employment, and youth engagement.

Ashoms added that Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, was pleased with such grassroots initiatives, describing them as practical examples of governance that unite people and deliver visible dividends of democracy.

On the broader political climate, Ashoms said 2026 would be a memorable year for Plateau State, expressing optimism that the state would reap increased dividends of democracy through improved governance and alignment with the federal centre. He stressed that the focus was development-driven and not personal or partisan.

Also speaking, Hon. Ziphion Terkop Chrysanthus Bala, Plateau State Director of Liaison, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and Security Agencies, Abuja, said the hike was symbolic, coming during the Christmas season, which he described as a season of love, unity, and sharing.

He urged Plateau residents to remain calm amid evolving political dynamics, noting that politics should be seen as a means to deliver dividends of democracy rather than a source of division. On calls for him to contest for higher office, Bala said he remained open to serving wherever his people required, stressing his loyalty to the leadership of Governor Mutfwang.

Participants at the event also shared positive experiences. Ibrahim Mangset, a participant from Mangu, said the presence of foreigners and Nigerians from different regions showed that Plateau State remained a home of peace and tourism, contrary to negative perceptions. He commended the Shendam Local Government chairman for bringing youths together in the interest of peace and unity.

A Nigerian-based Syrian biker, Omar Da-homs, described the Shendam Bike and Hike and the Bitgamai Festival as some of his highlights in Nigeria. He said the activities promoted health, bonding, exercise, and cultural exchange, adding that he brought friends from Abuja and other places to experience a different side of Plateau State.

Another participant, Goeboro Gift Naanpoe, said the hike was enjoyable and beneficial for physical fitness, noting that it also provided an opportunity for people to reconnect annually. She expressed gratitude to the Shendam Local Government leadership and prayed for the continuity of such initiatives.

Similarly, Bawa Justina said the hike allowed her to explore parts of Shendam she had never visited before, make new friends, and appreciate the unifying power of sports and outdoor activities. She praised the chairman for sustaining the programme and called for its continuation.

The event concluded with a tour of the nearly completed Shendam Sports Centre, where stakeholders reiterated that sustained youth engagement through sports, tourism, and recreation remains a vital tool for peacebuilding, development, and social cohesion in Plateau State and beyond.