Tinubu’s renewed hope: Sports critical for national cohesion, development – Onjeh

The APC 2023 senatorial candidate for Benue South, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, has described sports as a key catalyst for national cohesion and development. This was contained in his opening remarks as the Special Guest of Honour at the grande finale of the first edition of Tawari Football Talent Hunt Competition, which was held yesterday at the Tawari School Football Pitch in Tawari Council Ward, Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi state.

Speaking further at the occasion, Comrade Onjeh stated that promoting and supporting sporting activities amongst the youth can go a very long way in mitigating social vices in the society.

The former President of Nigeria’s apex student body, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), equally advocated for the establishment of a special funding mechanism for sports development in Nigeria, whereby corporate organizations will be encouraged to donate regularly into a common purse for the funding of sporting activities, as part of their corporate social responsibility.

On a note of encouragement to the young players, Onjeh stated that the difference between Messi, Ronaldo, and the upcoming football stars that participated in the competition was just the right platform they had in Argentina, Spain ( Messi) and Portugal ( Ronaldo), to develop and showcase their talents. He expressed optimism that the Renewed Hope Mandate of President Bola Tinubu would birth a revival in the administration and management of sports in Nigeria. Onjeh equally commended the organizers of the event, for their initiative.

The Tawari Football Talent Hunt Competition is purely a community effort of the Tawari Council Ward. The first edition of the competition, which began on the 2nd of May this year, had a total of ten teams at the preliminary stages. The final match, which was played between Awyetulo Football Club, Orehi and Shane Pillars, ended 1:0 in favour of Awyetulo Football Club.

Also speaking at the occasion, Hon. Kyauta Bawa, who was a Guest of Honour and a native of the Tawari Council Ward, stated that the competition holds great prospects for the youths of the community, as it affords them the unique exposure and the opportunity to be identified and recruited by local and international professional football scouts. He also hinted at enhanced employment opportunities or career progression for the participants, within the various military and paramilitary sports units.

At the end of the competition, 32 successful players were selected for camping, which will commence in the first week of August this year at three different locations across the country; namely Abuja, Kaduna and Bauchi. After the camping exercise, the young players will be taken on a tour of Togo, Cotonou and Accra for further exposure.

While the winners of the competition went home with a cash price of one hundred thousand Naira, the runners-up carted home fifty thousand Naira. The organizers of the competition said they intend to make it an annual event, with the second edition intended for much younger talents under the age of 15 years, who are still in the primary and secondary schools category.

The event had Brig. Gen. Stephen Bawa (Rtd) as Chief Host. Other dignitaries at the occasion were the Vice Chairman of Kogi LGA, Hon. Hassana Jezhi Bako and the Deputy Chairman, Kogi State Chapter of the APC, Hon. Abdulrahman Akabu.