Fred Newton Erhunmwunse, Chairman of the Board of Edo State Football Association, is on a high as his dream of uplifting the standard of the game in the state is getting the support of high networth individuals.
The latest supporter of the association’s activities is Archbishop Margaret Idahosa of the Church of God Mission, who has donated a giant trophy among other things to the association which is for the first ever Edo State Women Football League christened Arcbishop Margaret Idahosa Edo State Women Football League.
According to Erhunmwunse the idea to organise the Women Football League is one of his team’s way of keeping the girl child busy and out of the streets. We want to take them off the streets.
“We want them to be bread winners of their families. Any of them that gets a team at the end of this tournament has automatically become a bread winner of her family,” he disclosed.
He called for more support from people of goodwill, saying “Mama is not the only person in Edo State or Africa that has being giving this kind of support. We’re using this opportunity to call on every individual. Edo State FA is a brand and we are ready to give all our best to make sure that football development has come back to Edo State. We need everyone to support Edo State FA. As we do that our children would be occupied.”
Giving an insight into how Archbishop Idahosa, who will be celebrating her 81st birthday next Monday, came to give support to his team, he stated: “Yesterday(Sunday, July 21) we, the board members of the Edo State Football Association, went to appreciate Archbishop Margaret Idahosa for what she has been doing for the body of Christ as a mother. We’re seeing everything she is doing not only in church but outside the church. She’s a mother of all. She has been there giving out alms, scholarships to students.
“Today, by the grace of God I am one of the beneficiaries. I enjoyed the scholarship when I was a student of Benson Idahosa University (BIU). I came into that family in 2004 and I was given a sports scholarship. For that four years I was made the Captain of BIU Football team where I won laurels. The first private universities game in football I won bronze medal. That was the first major medal that the school won in their history of sports.
“After that I also got a scholarship for my Masters Programme from the same university. Yesterday was a time for me to say thank you, Mama and it was her approval. That was why her son, Bishop Feb Idahosa, the President of BIU, made it possible to give scholarship. We also have other scholarships from Idahosa Foundation etc. There was something Mama told us yesterday that made me really proud of what she is doing for us. She said the husband died and left 191 students under scholarship for her to continue.
“She didn’t say because the husband is no more that she wants to stop the scholarship and she continued. She also promised that till God tarries as long as the school and church remain people will still enjoy the scholarship. We also received a giant trophy in her honour to start the first ever Edo State Women Football League that would be called Archbishop Margaret Idahosa Edo State Women Football League that would be played annually.”
Going forth, Erhunmwunse stressed, “we’re still on the verge of completing the men’s league that’s ongoing. We’re in the quarter final stage. Immediately after the completion of that league we are starting the women league too. It’s all about our Mama that loves sports who deemed it fit to give back to the society. Our aim is to stop these girls from social vices. We want to engage the girl child because they’re very important to the society. Mama also saw that by donating a giant trophy which will be competed for by all the female teams across the 18 local governments in Edo State.
“It’s a laudable project and we appreciate God for this. We, in Edo FA, are happy that we were able to meet with her yesterday and the hospitality we received from her was mind blowing. She showed us that she’s always there to give support to everyone that comes calling. We look forward to see that some of the players that will participate in the league will have a bigger opportunity to play in the national teams. Mama has already prayed for them that as they participate in this league they will succeed in their endeavours. We will continue to visit her as she has opened her door to Edo FA that whenever we need her the door is opened and we are welcomed.”
