Oporoza FC, the winner of the Tompolo Peace and Unity Cup football competition, has been awarded the first prize of N200,000k at the grand finale of the 17th edition of the Amasuo-Ugeh Festival organised by Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Sunday, December 22, 2024.

Other participating teams comprising Benikrukru FC, Kokodiagbene FC, and Kunukunuma FC that emerged as first, second and third place were awarded their prizes of N150,000k, N100,000k and N50,000k, respectively, by the Planning Committee Chairman, Chief George Timiyan JP.

Meanwhile, the head coach of Benikrukru FC, Mr. Kingsley Gbenewei, has called on stakeholders and sports lovers in Gbaramatu Kingdom and Warri South-West Constituency in general to pay more attention to sports in the kingdom and in the constituency at large.

Mr. Gbenewei, who spoke at the final games of the competition between the winner Oporoza FC and Benikrukru FC to PENGlobal Community, lamented the poor attention given to sports, an action he said is denying talented youths in the kingdom from showcasing their talents thereby missing opportunities for rising to national and global recognition.

He said, "In terms of the sport engagement in this kingdom, they are not encouraging the youth at all. Because we have many leaders that have the finance to sponsor youths that are playing football, encourage the upcoming youths that are footballers, that have talents, take them up to where they have to be.

"Because we have many players in this country that we are hearing of that are from different places. None of our Gbaramatu boys, none of the Ijaw boys have been in that position. But we have talented players from the grassroots," he added.

Mr. Gbenewei appealed to stakeholders, particularly in Gbaramatu Kingdom, and the government in general, to thrown their weights behind the youths in the areas of sports by sponsoring talent hunt programmes, to help discover talented players and nurture them from the grassroots to the limelight.

"And in life, you need to nurture somebody from somewhere, you start from somewhere. We need our leaders to come to the grassroots and support our team, support our future players. We have good players, but I'm saying they are not encouraging us, but we urge them to do more so that we can get to a better place.

"They can support by hosting a talent hunt in this kingdom. We have different people in this country that have the zeal to carry players from local level to an higher level. If we can host a talent hunt competition in this kingdom, we can bring scouts, they can pick talented players in this kingdom.

"I urge the government to come down to the grassroots. Like in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, we have talented players in. My own advice is that they should come down to the grassroots. If they can do it in a way that we have a sports committee to look at sports, they can come to the grassroots and host the talent hunt competition. It's not only Gbaramatu leaders that can do that," he further stated.

On the Amasuo-Ugeh Festival hosted Tompolo Peace and Unity Cup football competition, Mr. Gbenewei, who can be reached on phone number is 08134916793, hailed the organisers of the competition and called for more of such engagements. 

"I thank the organisers of this competition (Tompolo Peace and Unity Cup) so much for this unity competition they have been hosting. This is good for us to build up our teams, our players, our boys that are good in football, that have talent. I so much thank them. I encourage them to keep it on. It shouldn't be the end of it. Keep hitting on from there."

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