By: Ike Philip Abiagom
The recent Youth football tournament launch for Primary Schools in Ibusa is a Community-focused initiative that uses football as a universal language to foster positive relationships between Youths and Community.
The Chief Co-Ordinator of Ibusa Football Tournament, Mr. Kwasa Amatokwu who has a perfect understanding of relationship with the youths and other Ibusa football enthusiast( Organising Committee),have inaugurated the eleven (11) Primary Schools Sports Masters in Igbuzo to scout local talent and prepare them for the upcoming competitions. The Chief Co-Ordinator, who is a football enthusiast, said the aim of this tournament is to catch them young and bring development of sporting activities in Ibusa and Nigeria at large.
The Chief Co-Ordinator who further stated that the aim of the tournament is to unite Ibusa through spirit of sportsmanship, teamwork and community bonding called on other stakeholders to come together in order to have a formidable force in the overall development of Ibusa and Nigeria in general.
Amatokwu spoke to Newsbreeze during the inauguration of Sports Masters in Ibusa recently, He said the competition is designed to identify young talent,provide them with better training facilities,and prepare them for future opportunities. How do we achieve this? We select talented players after this competition, provide them with specialized training, and invite football clubs, including international ones, for scouting purposes. This approach enhances their skills and open doors for them to play abroad.
For me, this is about giving back to the community and contributing to the growth of sports in Nigeria. We have been successful so far because we have been organizing Ibusa Football tournaments for forth years(40 years) now and we have some players who are playing outside Nigeria,” he said.
“I am excited to be part of this great initiative because I love the unity that football games bring, especially in a multi-diverse society like ours where people from different backgrounds come together to cheer for a common cause. Therefore, the organizer of Ibusa Football Competition deserves to be applauded for promoting peace and unity through sports.
“I am also happy that through this project, we are creating another opportunities for young people to build a sustainable career and make a living in football,” Amatokun stated.
On his part, he thank the major Sponsor of this tournament Evan(Barr.)Nyemike Nkadi,for investing in a project of this nature and also called on the government and other stakeholders to support such initiatives, emphasizing the long-term benefits for the country’s sporting development.
His words, “Organizing a competition of this nature is never easy, especially in terms of financial demands, given the huge logistics involved in managing activities, ensuring player safety, and taking care of players’ welfare. All hands must be on desk because of the challenges ahead.
The Chief Co-Ordinator handed the eleven (11) participating primary Schools teams with two adidas balls each and other training kits. He assured that the tournament will be professionally managed with a professional referees to ensure fair play and reduce controversy.
Amatokwu use this opportunity to appeal to the government and other stakeholders to invest in this initiative, as we are focused on grooming our youths and nurturing the next generation of football stars.