As part of efforts to get youths of Awka community out of cultism and related criminal activities that have claimed hundred of lives, an indigene of the community, Chief Ossy Onuko has ohranized the Ife-Igbo Awka Peace Cup Competition.
The tournament had youths from all the villages in the capital city participating.
At the grand finale of the maiden edition of Ife-Igbo Awka Peace Cup Competition held at Awka Township Stadium, Umuayom village team beat Umozocha village 2-1 to emerge victorious.
Onuko, who is the Managing Director of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), while speaking at the event, noted that the Cup Competition has succeeded in reducing crime rate among Awka youths to barest minimum while uniting them to say no to Cultism and other social-ill behaviours.
The tournament which attracted mammoth crowd from across Awka and its environs.
Describing the Competition as a dream fulfilled, ACTDA boss said he was committed to making the competition sustainable.
He said, “I feel excited and fulfilled seeing the excitement on the faces of the people.
“I am committed to making it a sustainable football tournament as long as God gives me the opportunity and the capacity”.
Acknowledging absence of gun-related violence in Awka since the inception of the tournament on November 14, 2023, Onuko restated the state government’s commitment to pushing policies and ideas that would address lot of social vices within the State.
He revealed that the Solution Leisure Centers in Agwu-Awka which would be replicated in the 326 wards of the state, was one of such numerous policies to fight crimes and criminalities in the state by Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration.
In his brief remarks, a former Presidential adviser, Senator Ben Obi said the competition was encouraging and if sustained, could bring unity in Awka community, develop talents, which he said could lead to massive youth employment.
Obi, while soliciting for more support to Gov. Soludo administration, commended the Governor for appointing young people to work with him, describing such gesture as a move in the right direction.
“Engagement of the youth in government will help them to be involved in the governance and enhance their leadership potentials,” he added.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Innovation and Business Incubation, Ms. Chinwe Okoli commended the organizers of the tournament for bringing young people closer, noting that the event was targeted at redirecting the youths in order to foster unity in diversity.
The event witnessed presentation of the trophy and medals to the Winner, and runner-up of the Ife – Igbo Peace and Unity Cup where Umuayom won the trophy with cash prize of N1millon, while Umozocha who came second went home with cash of N500, 000 and Umuodioka won the third position with N300,000.
