Abuja
The just concluded 2018 Ikeoha Youth Sports Championship sponsored by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has created opportunities for four Nigerian youths to further their football career abroad.
The two-week long sports events which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, saw Local Government Areas that constitute Ekweremadu’s Senatorial district competing for honours in football and basketball events.
Speaking with newsmen at the end of the both football and basketball finals, the Deputy senate President, explained that the sports fiesta was in furtherance of his human capital development agenda for the youth and efforts to help them to “be happy and find recreation at a very frustrating period in our political history”.
He speaks futher: “This is one way of giving them an opportunity to express themselves in sports, and then encourage them to be whatever they want to be and to be the best of it.
“Today, I feel so fulfilled that we have discovered a lot of talents. We brought in one of the most accomplished footballers in the country, Kanu Nwankwo, and he has identified four players, who are products of this Championship that he will take abroad for trials. That is exactly one of the things I wanted to achieve and I am happy I have achieved it.
“Kanu Nwankwo also agreed to invite some of the basketball players for trials abroad and of course, these are some of the things I wanted to achieve, and I am happy that we did achieve them.”
“We want to create a pool of sports men and women in Enugu state and we believe that will be a feeder to the Nigerian sports environment and probably, as I said, we are going to export some of these guys. The money they will make money will have a multiplier effect on Nigerian economy”, Ekweremadu added.
It was both medals and cash rain at the finals as Ezeagu Local Government Area (LGA) overcame Aninri LGA in a 2-0 thriller to cart away the football trophy and N1 million prize money, while the silver medalists, Aninri LGA, took home N500,000. Awgu LGA won bronze at the expense of Oji River after a pulsating encounter decided by penalty kicks that ended in their favour.
In the women basketball competition, Awgu LGA defeated Aninri LGA 24-10 to win gold, while Oji River LGA beat Udi LGA 54-34 to win gold in the men category.
The games events was graced by witnessed by Enugu State governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and captain of the Super Eagles, Kanu Nwankwo among others dignitaries.
