Mr Eni-Uduma Chima, the Chairman, Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi, has stressed the need to use sports to promote peace, love and brotherhood, especially among people living in the rural communities.
Chima spoke on Sunday at Ekoli Ukwu community in Edda, Afikpo South Local Government Area, at the grand finale of the Ekoli Ukwu Unity Football Competition.
According to him, sports, especially football competition serves as a uniting factor which provides people the platform to come together, associate and create a common bond that could be harnessed to promote unity among people from different socio-cultural backgrounds.
He said that the Ekoli Ukwu Unity Football tournament which began some 28 years ago, had provided a platform to foster unity, peace, love and oneness among the 24 villages that make up the community.
He said that the tournament had served as a source of talent discovery, noting that many hidden soccer talents had been discovered through the football event.
“The football tournament is what every indigene of Ekoli Ukwu looks forward to every December of every year and it has helped in discovering many football talents from the area.
“Every village in the community participates in this epoch making competition, which has grown from good to better and has endured for 28 years since it was inaugurated.
“The football event is a uniting force which has provided a platform for our people to come together in love, in unity and in peace, irrespective of economic or social status, ” Chima said.
Chima, the sole sponsor of the football competition since 2007, commended the football teams for their peaceful conduct during the 13-day soccer event and extolled the organisational dexterity of the organising committee.
” There was no crisis during the 13-day competition that started Monday, Dec 25, 2017; all participating teams and match officials conducted themselves properly and we commend also spectators for orderly comportment during the event,” he added.
The chairman assured the people of the area of government’s commitment to the development of sports, especially the game of soccer and promised to upgrade the football field to a mini-stadium with modern sporting facilities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nkabugo Football team defeated Umunna Football 4-3 on penalty shoot as the match ended goalless on regulation time.
NAN also reports that the winner of the tournament received a cash prize of N200, 000 while the first and second runners-up received N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.
The best behaved team, highest goal scorer, best officiating referee each received N10,000.
The highlight of the grand finale was the hand-over of the giant trophy by the local government chairmen to the new champion. (NAN)
