Senator Neda Imasuen, who represents Edo South in the red chambers of the National Assembly (NASS), has lamented the past glory of Edo State in the sports field when the then Bendel State from where Edo State was carved out, was the leading state in the field of Sports.
He stated that his idea of recapturing of the past glory of the state in the sports arena led him to initiate the Benin Unity Football Cup to be competed for by representatives of the seven local government councils that constitute his senatorial district.
The Senator was speaking at a Press Parley to officially launch his Benin Unity Football Cup Tournament which will commence from 20th November to end 20th December, 2025.
“So, this tournament is clearly to help the youths to bring them out from wherever they are so that we can harness their talent,” he charged.
In his own submission, the Director General(DG) of the National Institute for Sports(NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, who is the former Deputy Governor of Edo State, hailed Senator Imasuen’s laudable initiative saying that it aligns with the tenents of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“For us in the NIS we will continue to partner with you. This initiative by the National Assembly to develop sports is a good thing, a welcome development.”
He lamented that Nigerian youths are too talented for the country to be relying on the use of calculators to determine the chances of the national football team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
Comrade Shaibu revealed that all Ministers of Sports from the period of 1999 to date would soon be appearing before the national assembly to account for what went wrong with our sports development even as huge sums of money are usually allocated to sports.
Chairman of the Edo State Football Association (EDFA), Fred Newton Erhunmwusee, asserted that his dream is to ensure that football development occupies top position in the state.
He praised the sponsor of the tournament, Senator Neda Imasuen, for his foresight adding that it has come to stay especially as it is in tune with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s methodology of keeping the youths occupied.
Coordinator of the Organising Committee of the tournament, Comrade Orobosa Omo Ojo, gave kudos to Senator Imasuen, stating that the programme is “one of his cardinal programmes to ensure that our youths explore their talent to the fullest.”
Hon. Charity Amanyaenvbo, the state Commissioner for Sports, affirmed that Governor Monday Okpebholo is a sports lover who cares so much for the youths and has shown his interest in their activities.
Highlight of the day was the draw of the teams in the tournament split into two groups, A and B with teams from Ovia North East, Ikpoba Okha, Egor and Uhunmwode slugging it out in Group A while Ovia South West, Orhionmwon, Oredo 1 and Oredo 2 slug it out in Group B.
Apart from trophies, winners, second placed, third placed and fourth placed teams will be entitled to ₦1million, ₦700,000, ₦500,000 and ₦300,000 respectively.
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