…..Enabulele salutes cup donor,promises support
BENIN CITY-As part of efforts to relaunch Edo back to limelight, the Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District, Neda Imasuen has officially flagged off a football competition for youth in his constituency tagged ‘Benin Unity Cup’.
Performing the flag-off ceremony at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on Friday, Distinguished Senator Imasuen supported by the Director general of the Nigerian institute of sports, Phillip Shaibu, said the football fiesta would besides fostering unity amongst participants, would create avenues for discovery of young football talents that can be nurtured to play at the international football stage.
The 8-team football tournament, designed to have a team representing each of the seven local government areas in the Edo South Senatorial District with Oredo producing two teams to make up the number.
The draws for the tourney also held during the press conference as the tournament proper is due to kick off on November 20, 2025, with Ovia North-East, Ikpoba-Okah, Egor and Uhumwomde LGAs placed in group A, while Oredo One, Ovia South-West, Orhionmwon and Oredo Two placed in group B.
The one month soccer competition will climax on December 20, 2025.
According to the organizers of the sports event, the overall winners will get a reward of N1 Million for their efforts, while the first runner-up will take home N700,000. The third and fourth places winners will get N500,000, and N300,000 respectively.
Also, eight different sets of jerseys for the participating teams for 22 players were unveiled, thus showing the extent of preparedness of the tournament’s sponsors and organizers.
The Benin City Unity Cup was birthed during the Benin Unity Summit, where Senator Imasuen donated three trophies to provoke soccer hostilities among competing teams from the seven local government areas in Edo South.
The tournament’s grand finale is to be played at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and it is expected to witness football at its best, after the group stage matches would have been concluded at both the Irhirhi Sports Ground and the University of Benin Sports Complex.
Speaking further, Sen Imasuen said he was motivated by the need to return Edo’s football glory that produced great internationals soccer stars given the numerous social and economic benefits derivable from a successful football career.
According to him, “This tournament is a farm for football talent hunts, and we will ensure that this tournament has the presence of international scouts on the ground to help discover talents. This may have started late, but it will be a great thing”, the senator explained.
Chairman, Edo Football Association, Fred Newton, commended the sponsor, Senator Neda Imasuen, for what he called “the football development initiative”, assuring that local and international football scouts would be on ground throughout the duration of the football fiesta.
According to him, “this tournament is first of its kind in Edo South Senatorial District of the state and promised that the Edo FA would ensure it’s sustenance beyond the tenure of office by its current sponsor to keep his dreams of developing the game in his home state alive.
In his goodwill message, the Director General, National Institute of Sports (NIS), Hon. Philip Shaibu commended Senator Imasuen for the bold initiative which he said was in tandem with the sports department objectives of the NIS.
He, however, assured that the NIS will partner with the tournament organizers in the harvest of talents to be trained at the institute, nurturing them to stardom.
Meanwhile,the Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission Hon Amadin Desmond Enabulele has commended the senator representing Edo South District,Sen. Neda Imasuen for his laudable initiative to contribute to the development of sports in the state.
The Sports Commission boss gave the commendation at the flagoff and draws ceremony of Benin Unity Cup tournament at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin.
He appealed to the distinguished Senator to ensure that the grassroots football competition grows beyond talent discovery.
” Distinguished Senator,we are very happy with what you have just started and we want to assure you that the Edo State sports commission is behind you on this project.
” At this point,I want to appeal to you to consider other development programmes designed to nurture the talents that will be discovered from the tournament are further nurtured.
In the next two or three years from now,we want to see another Victor Osimhe, Julius Aghahowa,Peter Odemwingie and others spring up in Edo again. Edo is known for sports talents and we must not relent in creating opportunities for them to develop.” Enabulele emphasized.
Other speakers at the event were Hon Charity Amanyaemwo, Commissioner for Youths and Comrade Idehen Ebomwonyi, Director General of the Benin Summit Group among other sports enthusiasts.
Senator Imasuen flags off ‘The Benin Unity Cup’ football tourney, unveils jerseys
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