..Kick-Off Takes Place Jan 27
..As Oru East Takes On Mbaitoli In Opener
As Imolites are still digesting Governor Hope Uzodimma’s successful swearing in ceremony alongside his Deputy, Her Excellency, Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri there is yet another reason for us particularly in the sports world to be more elated.
Trumpeta gathered that all is now set for the “Imo Governor’s Cup football competition” with His Excellency giving nod for a go ahead.
According to the Local Organizing Committee LOC, the competition which is the brain child of the Imo Sports Commission Chairman, Hon Prince (Sir) Eleazar Onyewuchi Ogbonna “Ambassador” and powered by the renowned philanthropist is to celebrate Gov Uzodimma’s resounding victory during the November 2023 Imo Guber polls were he recorded amazingly 27/27.
The Tournament will not just be a celebration for the Governor’s Guber Victory but to also celebrate Gov Uzodimma’s administrative dexterity and outstanding performance characterized with signature projects of immense youth, social and economic values during the first tenure despite the many obstacles it faced .
It will also serve as an underlining statement for the Imo Sports Commission under Prince Ogbonna to harness the budding talents at the grassroots not just in football but other sports Imo State has a comparative advantage. This he said will help them achieve their dreams of becoming professional footballers/athletes in line with the 3R/Shared Prosperity mantra of our dear Governor.
The Commission Boss you would recall had secured a Memorandum of Understanding MoU, with a European Sports Agency in Spain to train and retrain our Coaches and Officials as well as provide opportunities to our athletes to become professionals.
“We are hoping that special talents identified from the Gov’s Victory Cup will also be integrated into the Sports Commission Talent Hunt programme which he noted is still on the card.
“To this effect, the Sports Commission Boss has mandated his staff to start in earnest work on modalities to bring back all the competitions in various sports that helped the State and our athletes including our Special Citizens excell nationally and at the international level.
“These sports include; School Sports programmes, Governor’s Cup for Clubs and Secondary Schools, State Sports Festival, Grassroots tournaments for Table Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, Hockey, Boxing, Wrestling, Taekwondo, Karate, Scrabble, Badminton, Athletics among others to discover young talents. That’s why they call Prince Ogbonna the Professor of Sports Development having played the game and transversed the length and breath of Europe for contacts louring partners to help develope our facilities, athletes as well as our talents and now is the time.
“My brother, the state will soon be in festivity mood again coming at the heels of the yuletide celebration and the successful swearing in of our very dynamic and youth oriented Governor as the date of the Victory Cup for His Excellency will soon be announce and i wish to urge our very revered youths in our various LGA’s to dust their boots for a thrilling soccer fiesta.
“I must also express the excitement and appreciation of Imolites and that of the Staff and Management of the Sports Commission to our Governor who found it worthy and necessary to sustain the Commission after his swearing in.
Meanwhile, the opening ceremony holds this Saturday January 27, 2024 @ the main bowl of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri by 3pm with Oru East (Gov’s LGA) taking on Mbaitoli (Deputy Gov’s LGA) in Star match.
Special Guest of Honour; His Excellency the Governor of Imo State, Dist Sen Hope Odidika Uzodimma “Onwa Oyoko”.
Other Guests include;
All National Assembly members of Imo extraction.
Imo APC Chairman, Hon (Dr) McDonald Ebere.
All Imo House of Assembly Members.
All serving Aides to the Governor, Traditional Rulers and APC Leaders and Chieftains in the state, Captains of Industries of Imo extraction.
