GYB/CEDO gifts motorcycles, cash to Ayoo, Draught competition winners »

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello is investing optimally in sports development as a veritable tool for empowerment and sustaining unity and peaceful coexistence in the state.

This was emphasized today at the grand finale of the Draught and Ayoo championship game supported by GYB/CEDO held at the famous Ayoo/ Draught Arena in Baptist Church area between the Baptist Draught Club and Baptist Ayoo Club of Lokoja.

Chief Onoja who declared the competition open expressed delight over the promotion of sports between the youths and elderly in the area, adding that the arena is reputed to be a strong convergence point in Lokoja where old and young including women meet to discuss and share ideas while playing the various games.

Beyond 49 games played before the finals, Mr Suleman Badanga and Mr Akimbo Yakubu emerged as winners of the Draught and Ayoo final games, cruising home with brand new motorcycles, while the first and second runner ups received cash prices of N100,000 and N50,000 respectively.

Onoja while presenting motorcycles and other Cash Prizes to the winners of the competition appreciated the people of the area for sustaining the age-longe practice which doesn’t only serves a lofty recreation activity, but also fosters unity and togetherness among the people. He encouraged the participants of the tournament to sustain the tempo stressing
that Draft and Ayoo are tactical games that enquire a great deal of calculation, tact, and strategy and can only be played by brilliant minds.

He maintained that Lokoja community is certainly one vast constituency that has benefited more from the performance driven administration of Governor Bello in the past six years, stating that besides impacting so much in the provision and expansion of existing infrastructures, governor Bello and his administration has unremittingly been building capacity in the area.

Members of the community who spoke to our reporter lauded the gesture of governor Yahaya Bello and his deputy, Chief Edward Onoja in supporting the game. They said the gesture was unprecedented, “for over 25 years that I have known this place, this is the first time that a governor and his deputy would visit us, support our tournament and even give prices to winners. We appreciate Yahaya Bello for this gesture and we will never forget this”, one Mr. Collins said.

The Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Hon. Idris Musa, Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Sunday Faleke and other government appointees were among dignitaries at the event.