From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The Ogugu Community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State has concluded arrangements for the kick off of the Ogugu Ntuegbenese Anukaenyi Unity Cup 2021/2022 on Saturday, December 25.
Meant to unite the seven villages of Ogugu, the football tournament would see the seven villages: Ezioha Ogbodu, Ezioha, Uhuahu, Uhuagbo, Ibite, Ugwuoma and Uhuokpo slog it out on the football pitch between December 25 and January 2, 2022 for a winner to emerge.
Speaking on the tournament yesterday, the sponsor, Chief Aloysius Ogbonna Jnr. said it would take place at Ogugu Central School Field, Awgu with all the seven villages competing.
Ogbonna said that the tournament, which is a Celebration of Ogugu Football Legends Awards, would see the winner going home with N1 million cash prize, while the 2nd and 3rd positions would go home with N300, 000 and N200, 000 respectively.
He also said that the highest goal scorer, best player, best defender and best goal keeper will get N20, 000 each, while the best Coach will receive N30, 000 and each participating village will go home with N50, 000.
On what he intends to achieve with the football tournament, Ogbonna said, “Because of the importance the youths attach to football, I decided to explore football to galvanize our youths for peace building among the villages in Ogugu and beyond.
“So, we want to use football as a platform to bring peace, unity and progress among our villages and also for our youths to use it to discover their talents in football.
“Apart from entertaining and making our people happy during this festive period, I have plans to mentor the best players so that their talent won’t end in the village.”
According to him, the tournament is also about the age long tradition of the ‘Anukaenyi festival’ which is done every three years. “During this festival each village visits each other, while age grades perform their traditional rights and also know each other,” he said.
