Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, has commended organisers of the ongoing Prosperity Cup in the state for their consistency in discovering football talents through the competition.
The Prosperity Cup, which is the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, is Nigeria's biggest grassroots football showpiece.Mr. Alabrah, a former youth international and professional footballer, gave the commendation at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa when he was presented the tournament’s branded jersey by the Director-General, Mr. Ono Akpe.The governor's spokesman noted that youths in the state look forward to the tournament yearly as it offers them the opportunity to showcase their talent just as it promotes unity among Bayelsans.He said for the competition to have reached the sixth edition, it tells a lot about the consistency in the sports policy of the state government and the organisers.
According to him, the continuity of the tournament in the last four years of the Governor Diri administration was also indicative of the governor’s unparalleled commitment to sports development.Alabrah stressed that this has manifested in the performance of the state’s athletes within and outside the country, describing it as heartwarming.
He urged the youths to take advantage of the tournament as it is capable of exposing them to foreign scouts and clubs, noting that the inclusion of the female competition, para soccer as well as the scouting programme were a testament to the tournament’s growth.
He further commended the organisers for adopting a holistic approach to the tournament, particularly for also giving the physically challenged persons a sense of belonging.
The former footballer equally lauded the inclusion of the foreign scouting programme, which he said was a veritable initiative for players discovered during the tournament to be exposed to foreign clubs, stressing that the competition had gone beyond mere participation and winning trophies to a platform to showcase Bayelsa youths to the world.
He expressed the optimism that in the next few years, Bayelsa youths would populate the country’s national teams as the competition has positioned Bayelsa as a brand in youth soccer coupled to with the avalanche of talents it has produced.
Meanwhile, defending champions, Krusaders Feeders FC, romped into the next round of the tournament with a 3-0 spanking of Oburu FC in a fixture decided at the Ekeremor centre. Goals from Anthony Moses, Handsome Iwasoma and Tony Akpagra gave the Peretorugbene based side the deserved victory.Petroleum Boys FC in the second game beat Ekeremor FC 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time. At the Ogbolomabiri centre in Nembe Local Government Area, Fisherman Son's FC pipped Okoroma United FC 2-1 to progress to the next phase while BMU Feeders FC suffered a 4-3 defeat against Nembe City on penalties having played out a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Action continues in other centres.