By Ikenna Nwokedi
Sokoto Branch has emerged champions of the maiden edition of the Benevin Memorial Football Tournament for the 2024/25 year.
A solitary effort in form of a piledriver from Goalkeeper, Prince Ezekiel in the 16th minute was enough to give his side the win against America branch in the grand finale of the competition played on Friday, 3rd January 2025 at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church playground, Enugwu-Ukwu.
The eight-team competition saw the winner, Sokoto branch smiling home with the star prize of one million naira while America branch who finished second settled for the sum of 500 thousand naira with the third placed team, Abuja branch who defeated the home branch 4-1 in the third and fourth placed playoffs taking the sum of 300 thousand naira as the home branch settled for the sum of 70,000 naira while the remaining four teams each got 50,000 naira as consolation prizes.
The competition which is bankrolled by Michael Chidiebere Akanuligbo is in memory of his parents. The competition benefactor informed that the essence of the tournament is to strengthen the bonding existing in the community and provide a platform for the youths of the community to be engaged in sports through the instrumentality of football during the festive period.
Mr. Akanuligbo stressed that the competition also offers a platform to showcase the sporting talents and prowess of the youths of the community and beyond as the players have what it takes to play at the highest level of the game and attain the peak of their careers if they are dedicated, disciplined and committed. He further disclosed that the competition has come to stay and will be an annual program in the community.
Mr. Akanuligbo said: “I am sponsoring this competition because of the love I have for sports and it is also in memory of my parents. Through this tournament we can see that the youths of Enugwu-Ukwu and beyond are endowed with immense sporting skills that can take them to the highest level of the game of football and enhance their personalities career wise.
“We intend that this competition will be an annual program in the community that will touch the lives of not just our youths but the community at large as football is a unifier. I assure you that this competition has come to stay and will be an annual event in the sporting program of Enugwu-Ukwu,” Akanuligbo said.
Highpoints of the closing ceremony was a ceremonial kickoff performed by the sponsor before the match proper as well as decoration of the winning team with the gold medals and presentation of the cash prizes to the top three teams.
