By Theo Rays
It is certainly going to be a harvest of talented footballers in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State as no fewer than 35 football teams from the villages that make up the local government have lined up talented players to trade tackle for what is called Igboeze North Unity Cup competition. The football fiesta which is being organized by the Youth under the umbrella of Igboeze North Youth Football Family will kicked off on December 29, 2023 at the local government stadium in Ogrute.
According to the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) the football jamboree is aimed at promoting peace and unity among the good people of Igboeze North and also to find ways to use the instrumentalities of football to create job opportunities for the youth. In a detailed announcement made before the participants, the LOC informed that the winner of the competition will smile home with a whooping sum of N5million while the runners up will take home a cash sum of N3million with the third and fourth places teams taking home the sum N2million and N1million respectively.
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The LOC also informed that the best players from various teams will be selected to form a football team from Igboeze North that will be fronted to henceforth participate in various football engagements in Enugu State including participating in State football league while the overall best player that will emerge from the competition will be offered opportunity to play football in Europe or Asia pending where the opportunity comes from.
According to Mr Ayogu Agbo who made the announcement for the LOC, there is also going to be prices for teams who reached quarter finals and semi finals respectively while most disciplined team will also be smiling home with a price. Our correspondent who visited Igboeze North to ascertain the level of preparation reports that the football show is already gathering momentum with the participants in top gear preparation.
Some of the team managers who spoke to our correspondent on phone vowed to wrestle the trophy adding that they are equal to the task. Mr Sabastine Onuh from Ufodo vowed that the Spartan Boys from Ufodo are going to carry the day as according to him the Boys are experienced enough in the round leather game to round up the opponents and take the trophy home. “The Cup is coming to Ufodo” he maintained adding that there is no stopping Ufodo from emerging the champion of the competition.
In the same vein, leaders and stakeholders of Igboeze North are showering praises to the Youth for coming up with such a wonderful competition. Speaking to our correspondent a renowned businessman and the traditional ruler of Amaja His Royal Highness Igwe Ignatius Idoko said he is much excited to see the Youth come up with such a wonderful idea to use football to promote peace and unity and also use football to seek opportunity for more meaningful engagements in life.
The Amaja king who also predicted that Amaja team with take home the trophy called on the football community like Enugu Rangers, Lobi Stars of Makurdi and Enyimba of Aba among others to take the opportunity offered by the competition to scout for talented players hoping that the competition will showcase talented footballers who go far in the round leather game from Igboeze North.
