The National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN Anambra State Chapter, in collaboration with a Sports investor, Brainbox Football Foundation and the Anambra State Football Association have kickstarted a football tournament aimed at discovering talents in the 21 local government areas of the State.
The NYCN hopes through the tournament to discover young football talents across the 21 local government Areas of the state.
In the first fixture of the tournament, Oyi Local Government Area football team over the weekend, defeated their counterparts from Dunukofia by a lone goal in the maiden edition.
The encounter played at the Awka City Stadium saw Paul Nnamdi’s solitary strike in the 48th minute for the Oyi side see off their opponents in a competition bankrolled by Brainbox Sports Foundation Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mr. Samuel Ezeugo.
According to the sponsor, the winner of the competition will smile home with the sum of N3million, while the 1st and 2nd Runners Up will each smile home with the sum of N2million and N1million respectively.
“Individual awards for the Best Goalkeeper, Best Player of the tournament and Highest Goal Scorer will each be rewarded with the sum of N100,000,” he said.
In his remarks, the state Chairman of the NYCN, Amb. Surveyor Obi Emeka Chukwudi stated that as football is a unifying factor, the council is using the beautiful game to unite the entire youths in the state and engage them meaningfully.
Comrade Chukwudi highlighted the support of the present administration of Governor Charles Soludo through the ‘One Youth Two Skills’ programme to empower the youths.
He also acknowledged the support of the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Empowerment, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba while urging the youths to make the best out of the ongoing tournament.
Also speaking, the Manager of Brainbox Sports Foundation, Comrade Ifeanyichukwu Nwoye who spoke on behalf of the sponsor stated that the love for the game by the benefactor and the will to provide a platform for the youths in the state to showcase their God’s given talent is the motivation behind the competition.
Nwoye posited that the competition has come to stay and will be an annual event in the sports program of the NYCN. He further disclosed that Brainbox foundation intends to host the entire state and ensure the competition will be an annual event.
On his part, Chairman, Anambra State Football Association (ANSFA), Chief Chikelue Iloenyosi commended the Brainbox Sports Foundation for their magnanimity in accepting to bankroll the football programme which is a brainchild of the NYCN.
He emphasized that the ANSFA is here to support such initiative and provide immense technical support in ensuring that the competition is hitch free from the start to the termination of the event.
As part of activities to spice up the competition opener, there was road show by members of the NYCN from the 21 LGAs from Alex Ekwueme square at Aroma to the Awka City Stadium, paramilitary display, quarter guard performance and march past.
