The Benue State Government is to organise the Governor’s Sports competition as a boost to youth development.
The State Governor, Samuel Ortom disclosed this Sunday, June 12th, 2022 at the grand finale of the youth football competition organised by Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, ESLF.
Governor Ortom who was elated with the success of the tournament directed the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development to liaise with the Special Adviser, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as the leadership of Local Government Council Chairmen to immediately organise the sports tournament to sustain initiatives at growing upcoming sporting talents.
Governor Ortom gave the directive on Sunday, June 12th, 2022 at closing ceremony of the grand finale of the Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, ESLF Football Tournament played at Benue State University football pitch, Makurdi.
The Governor said that he was impressed with the initiatives of his wife, the First Lady, Dr Eunice Ortom for the various youth development programmes of her NGO, the ESLF and called for more collaboration from privileged individuals.
The Governor’s tournament, which is to include all sporting activities he said would further boost the sports sector.
He expressed satisfaction how ESLF, which his wife founded has greatly complemented his efforts in diverse ways, saying her initiatives toward youth development were adding great value to his administration.
Governor Ortom extolled his wife for being a dependable pillar of support to him noting that she has consistently stood by him with visionary ideas especially on women and youth empowerment generally.
Earlier, wife of the Governor and Founder ESLF, Dr Eunice Ortom stated that the football tournament was a deliberate initiative of her Foundation to provide a platform for budding sports talents to showcase their skills.
She acknowledged that football serves as a unifying platform and as a veritable tool to take young people off social vices, pointing out that through sports, messages of social change could easily be communicated for elimination of harmful practices like female genital mutilation among others.
The grand finale of the football tournament, which featured both male and female teams had Cambridge Football Club of Gboko defeating Avail Football Club of Otukpo 1 goal to nil in the male category, while Honey Badgers FC of Makurdi defeated Logo Queens FC of Ugba, 3 goals to 2 in a penalty shoot-out.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare through his representative, Kola Daniel as well the former Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles, Coach Austin Eguavon.
The Vice Chancellor, Benue State University, Makurdi, Prof Tor Iorapuu and Ex-Super Eagles international football stars, Emmanuel Babayaro and Tijjani Babaginda also delivered good messages commending the vision of the ESLF and pledged their partnership.
