By Ukpa Ewa
The grand finale of maiden edition of Ife-Igbo Awka Peace Cup Competition held on January 1, 2024 witnessed beehive of crowd cut-across Awka and its environs.
The event, which was held on at the Awka Township Stadium was hosted by the Managing Director, Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), Mr. Ossy Onuko and sponsored by Jezco Oil Ltd.
In his Speech, the host of IfeIgbo Awka Peace Cup Competition, Mr. Onuko, expressed gratitude for the success of the competition, where Umuayom football team won the Competition by beating Umozocha 2-1in the final match.
The ACTDA boss while describing the Peace Cup Competition as a dream fulfilled, said that the competition has succeeded in reducing crime rate involving Awka youths to a barest minimum, uniting them to say no to cultism and other social-ill behaviours.
He said, "I feel excited and fulfilled seeing the excitement on the faces of the people. I am committed to making it a sustainable football tournament as long as God gives me the opportunity and the capacity".
Mr Onuko who acknowledged that since the inception of the tournament on Nov. 14, 2023, there has been no gun-related violence in Awka, maintaining that Anambra Government was committed in pushing policies and ideas that would address a lot of social vices within the State.
He noted that Solution Leisure Centers in Agu-Awka which would be replicated in the 326 wards of the state was one of such numerous policies to fight crimes and criminalities in the state by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo's administration.
In his brief remarks, Sen. Ben Obi (Ojelibo Awka) said that the competition was encouraging and if sustained, would bring unity in Awka community, develop talents, which according to him, leads to massive youth employment.
Sen. Obi, while soliciting for more support to Gov. Soludo's administration, commended the Governor for appointing young people to work with him, insisting that such gesture was a move in the right direction, as according to him, it would help the youths to be involved in the governance and breeds their leadership potentials.
On her part, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, Ms. Chinwe Okoli, commended the organizers of the tournament for bringing the young people closer, noting that the event was targeted at redirecting the youths, bringing them together in order to foster unity.
High point of the event was the presentation of the trophy and medals to the Winner, and runner-up of the Ife - Igbo Peace and Unity Cup where Umuayom won the trophy with cash prize of 1millon naira, while Umozocha who came second went home with cash of N500, 000 and Umuodioka won the third position with N300,000.
Among the dignitaries who graced the event were Chairman, Anambra State Sports Commission, Mr. Patrick Onyedum, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Frank-Collins Okafor, Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra State Chapter, Mr. Patrick Chemezie, National Coordinator Soludo Ambassadors, High Chief Kenneth Nwachukwu, Ozo Emeka Nwosu, and Mr. Leo Nwuba, Mr. Emeka Okoye
*Ukpa is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
More photos below.
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