SKILLS AND ENTERTAIMENT AS THE KOGI CENTRAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2014 PROGRESSES

Adavi LGA Team

The long awaited and loudly talked-about Kogi Central Football League 2014 eventually started on a promising ground on 24th August, 2014. Thirty viable football clubs, with a total of nine hundred players and management members are featuring in the soccer fiesta. The football league project which is tagged “football for peace and development” is to herald the proposed Kogi Central Annual Sport Festival due from 2015.

In a chat with Comrade Sheik Mamman, the President-General, Ebira Youths Congress (EYC)- the organizer of the League, it was made clear that the league was primarily conceived to mobilize and sensitizes the teaming youths of the land into productive venture in the over all socio-economic interest of the district, the state and nation as a whole. “Football is the ink thing over the world. It has since constituted itself into a rallying point, and as a strong unifying and centrifugal force”.

“The league project goes beyond entertainment; football has significantly proven to be strong source of employment and income generation, particularly in Europe and South America. Kogi Central District is an area blessed richly with both human and material resources. The problem however, is harnessing these resources to the benefit of mankind. Therefore, what the 2014 league is doing, among other things, is to hunt and showcase these abundant talents to the world for effective engagement by standard football clubs within and outside the shores of Nigeria.”

EYC Excos and Elders

The President-General further boasted that Kogi Central has the potentials to make Nigeria proud when it comes to sport and football in particular, citing the Okehi United Football Club that defeated a German division side in away friendly match in Germany.

“ At this juncture, the Executive Chairman of Okehi Local Government Area must be commended in the areas of sport development because am told that after their return from the match in Germany, some five players were selected by German teams and that the players are back in Germany as we speak. I think that is quite commendable", said Sheik.

On his part, Baba MP Razak, the EYC Secretary who doubles as the coordinator of the league, additional sporting events including, basket ball, table tennis, volley ball, Judo will feature prominently in the 2015 edition.

The chairman of the local organizing committee (LOC) comrade Mohammed Bello and that of the technical committee, Mr. Umar Ikunayi, have promised the public to expect a hitch-free and peaceful soccer games.

Mr. Mohammed Bello disclosed that the official opening and commissioning ceremony comes up 13th September, 2014 under the distinguished personalities that include captain Idris Wada, Executive Governor of the state; His Royal Majesty, King (Dr.) Ado Ibrahim, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland; Alh. Damisa Sulaiman, Hajia Mariam Ladi Ibrahim, the Ohis, the five Executive Chairmen of local government in the land among other respected sons and daughters of the land.

The President-General appeals to all well-meaning persons within and outside the land to grace the official commissioning ceremony of the leagues at the King Ado Ibrahim Centre opposite Dabras Hotel, Inoziomi come 13th September, 2014.

Gallery from the tournament: