By James Sani
Sporting activities in rural areas in Kogi State are to receive necessary attention towards Fostering unity, peace and development.
Kogi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Aridaojo Monday Anyebe stated this at the opening of the twenty twenty five Ohinoyi of Ebira Football Competition at Okene.
Honourable Aridaojo Monday Anyebe said the current administration under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is a lover of sports, saying all measures will be put in place towards enhancing sporting activities in the rural areas in the state.
He said through sports, the people are better unified and there by chairing common ideas towards unity, peace, understanding and development, emphasizing that the present administration has taken sports as one of his focal area.
The Commissioner described the initiative of the organizer of the competition, the Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, Alhaji Muhammad Isah Anaje as a positive development, saying his fatherly role of bringing people together shows his Commitment to Fostering unity, peace and stability among the people of the Area and the state in general.
Hon. Aridaojo Monday Anyebe commended the Ohinoyi, Alhaji Muhammad Isah Anaje for carrying his people along in the scheme of things and assured him of Government’s support for the competition.
The Commissioner promised his personal donation to the overall winner of the competition with two hundred and fifty thousand Naira, Second runner, One hundred and fifty thousand Naira, while third position will go home with One hundred thousand Naira respectively and called on other influencial persons in the society to emulate the Ohinoyi on this Lauderdale initiative.
While speaking, the Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, and Chairman of Ebira Traditional Council, His Majesty, Alhaji Muhammad Isah Anaje said the idea of the competition aims at bringing the Youths together to show their talents and expose them, both locally and internationally.
The Ohinoyi said his target was to see the Youths of Ebira Land and Kogi State at large at the international football and assured that he would achieve his aim.
The Royal Father encouraged the participants at the ongoing competition to work hard to come out with good results and disclosed that the Grand Prize will be N1,000,000,
2nd prize: N 700,000 and
3rd, Prize : N 500, 000 respectively.
The Ohinoyi thanked Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for giving sports attention and expressed appreciation to the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development for gracing the opening ceremony of the competition.
The Ohinoyi Cup 2025,
with the Theme, “Kick for Peace, Play for unity” which commenced with
Eganyi United and Adavi United has participants drawn from all the Local Government areas from the Central senatorial District.
James Sani
Information Officer
Kogi State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Lokoja.
