Sports promotes unity, love amongst youths

…Commends organizer of GYB 5-Aside football competition

For the past three years, the GYB 5-Aside football competition has organized various tournaments with the goal of discovering talents and promoting peace and unity among Kogi State youths. This year’s tournament featured twenty teams, with Team GYB Na-Allah and Team Alisha competing in the finals.

At the grand finale of the this year’s tournament held on Sunday at Lokoja Club 1901, the governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, pledged to continue to support sporting and other recreational activities, most notably football, which he affirmed is a tool that can enhance unity, love, togetherness, and peaceful coexistence amongst the youths in Kogi state.

Speaking at the event, Gov. Yahaya Bello, while thanking the organizers, particularly his Chief Security Officer,
for putting together the tournament in his honour noted that sports continues to be one of the best platforms for building unity and creating employment, which has been one of the focal points of the new direction government.

Gov Yahaya Bello congratulated the tournament winners, team GYB Na-Allah, on their strong will and team spirit, and urged the youths to take advantage of the tournament, noting that opportunities in tournaments like this will lead to talent discovery, and pledged his readiness to continue in sports development.

Also speaking, the President of Lokoja Club 1901, Mr Abdul Bashir who affirmed that the tournament was organized to foster unity amongst Kogi state youths, said they decided to host the competition in honour of governor Yahaya Bello owing to his passion for youths development.

Highlights of the event was the presentation of award to Gov Yahaya Bello as the “Overall Protector of the Masses” by one Mallam Murtala AKA Extraordinary General. The governor also received an official Super Eagle Jersey presented by Linda Jiwuaku, a Nigerian under 17 Super Falcons player who participated in the under 17 women’s world cup in India; and a tracksuit by the wife of Super Eagles home-based goalkeeper, Tosin Ojo Olorun.

The match ended 1-0 through penalties in favor of Team GYB Na-Allah.