Twenty-four participating football teams drawn from the ethnic nationalities of Ijaw, Ika, Isoko, Itsekiri, Ndokwa and Urhobo are set to compete for the prize money of N5 million in the 2024 Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup Competition, formerly known as the Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Football Tournament, sponsored by the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) in partnership with the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), K&Q Food Palace, and the DPG Group.

The draws/fixtures of the competition held at the CEPEJ's Africa for Peace Center at Ugolo-Osubi, Okpe L.G.A., with the 24 teams each presented with their training kits that consisted of jerseys, football, hose, among others on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

In his opening remark at the draws, Chief Mulade gave a brief history of the competition which he said "started ten years ago" to foster unity among the Ijaws and Itsekiri, but has "expanded to include Ika, Isoko, Ndokwa and Urhobo ethnic groups, to promote harmony among all ethnic groups in Delta State, in support of the State Government's development agenda."

He further hinted that the objectives of the competition are to "promote peaceful coexistence among the oil producing communities of the State, to fast track their development, and also to discover young football talents in Delta State, in line with the 'Catch Them Young' advocacy of Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ."

While thanking DESOPADEC, other sponsors of the competition and the Local Organising Committee members for their efforts in making the dream of the competition a reality, the CEPEJ Boss charge all "to join us in advocating for, and contributing your quota towards the socio-economic development of Delta State, and to support the Governor's More Agenda for Deltans" as well as "urge representatives of the ethnic groups to promote peace and unity before, during and after the football tournament, and leave together as one people of Delta State."

Speaking before the commencement of the draws, a representative of DESOPADEC, Mr. Azosibe Elaye Jude, who stood in for the Commission's MD, Chief Festus Ochonogor, charged participants to tap into the opportunities that the tournament offers and to key in to the objective of peacebuilding in order to sustain a conducive environment for investors and for positive developments to thrive.

On his part, the LOC Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha, charged the various teams to abide by the rules of the competition as there would be sanctions for defaulters.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees in CEPEJ, Chief Orhadahwe, thanked DESOPADEC for offsetting the registration expenses of the participating teams, and charged the various teams to ensure ethnic unity among themselves stressing that in the future the prize money may be as high as N10 million but only when there is peace and unity.

In the draws/fixtures, four teams each from the participating ethnic nationalities were drawn into six groups namely; Ijaw (Group 1), Itsekiri (Group 2), Urhobo (Group 3), Ika (Group 4), Isoko (Group 5) and Ndokwa (Group 6).

Group 1 teams consist of Ogbe-Ijoh United FC, Israel Strikers FC, Bomadi FC, and Warri Ijaw FC; Group 2 has Batere FC, Ugbomaru FC, Ugbo Olaja FC, and Ode Itsekiri FC; Group 3 has Ethiope East United FC, Udu United FC, Uvwie Selected FC, and Okpe United FC; Group 4 has Abavo United FC, Owa United FC, Ika United FC, and Agbor United FC; Group 5 has Winsome FC, Royal Eagle FC, Isoko North FC, and Uzere United FC; while Group 6 has Ndokwa United FC, Ndokwa East United FC, Ukwani FC, and Ukwani United FC.

The 2024 competition which is the fifth edition is scheduled to kick-off at Ode Itsekiri in Warri South L.G.A on Saturday, November 16, while the grand finale is billed for Sunday, December 8, at Orerokpe in Okpe L.G.A.

According to the organisers of the competition, the princely sum of N5 million with consolidated prizes is at stake in the football competition, with the winner going home with N2 million and runners up with N1.5 million, third place with N1 million and fourth place with N500,000. 

View more photos of the draws/fixtures on PENGlobal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16vEZv5Rez/

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