Ijaw/Itsekiri Unity: Football stakeholders to discover talents at Mulade Peace, Unity cup
Ndu Samuel
The Local organising committee of the Ijaw/ Itsekiri peace and unity cup also known as Comr. Sheriff Mulade peace and unity cup have disclosed that football stakeholders across the world have indicated interest to partner with them to discover talents during the tournament with the aim of giving their carreer a push.
The chairman of the committee, Hon Kenneth Nwaomucha disclosed this when the committee met recently to access the level of preparedness made so far for the event expected to kick off in November 2019.
The chairman said that this year’s edition will focus on discovering talents between the ages of 15 – 20, which according to him is the ideal age for grassroot talent discovery, and therefore urges members of the screening committee to inform the participants of the age limit before they register.
Nwaomucha assured that the football tournament will help produce the real age grade players who can rise to participate in both the national league and premier league clubs, with capacity to do well because age is on their side, adding that the technical committee in collaboration with other technical experts will do proper screening on each team before they are allowed to participate.
Another unique feature of this year’s edition is that unlike the first edition, this year’s edition will hold in two venues of Ugborodo and Benikrukru communities both in Warri South local government.
He said in all, sixteen teams are expected to slug it out during the exercise, eight in each center as forms are already on sale in various locations as well as the office of Center for peace and environmental justice Ugolo which serves as the temporary secretariat of the Local organising Committee.
The LOC chairman explained that selected ex internationals will play against selected team during the opening and closing ceremony to serve as boost to the morale of the youths participating in the tournament.
He noted that another interesting aspect of the exercise is the prizes involve, saying the winner of this year’s tournament will smile home with whopping cash prize of N1m and Gold Cup. while the second runner up and 3rd placed team will pocket N.7m and N.5m respectively. Noting that there are also other prizes and awards for Most valuable player, Highest goal scorer, Fair play award for best behaved team and best Goal keeper amongst others.
The 2017 edition had ex-Internationals like Kenneth Nwaomucha, Edema Fuludu, Baldwin Bazuaye, Former Super Eagles Coach Austin Eguavoen, who attended the finals though they only participated in penalty shoot out against dignitaries like the Deputy Governor of Delta state Barrister Kingsley Otuaro, Hon Daniel Reyeinaju, former member representing Warri federal constituency,
Also in attendance were former Chairman Warri South-west LGA Hon. George Ekpemukpolo, Hon. David Tonwe, former Chairman of renowned Ufuoma babes f c. Elder Eddington Kuejubola, Former Delta South senatorial district PDP Chairman and now Delta state Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Hon. Prince Emman Amgbaduba and others.
The Ijaw/Itsekiri peace and unity cup was initiated with the aim of encouraging and sustaining the existing peace and unity that has been attained by the Ijaws and Itsekiris over the past years.
