By Kingsley Agim and Egerton Onah
In response to Governor Bassey Otu's call to support sports development in the state, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams of Cross River Central Senatorial District, has initiated a Secondary School-based football tournament, tagged Prince Otu Cup 2024, billed to commence in the beginning of schools' new academic session in September, 2024.
Senator Williams made this known at the inauguration of the Tourney's Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Monday, at the U. J. Esuene Sports Stadium Poolside in Calabar, stating that the competition, sponsored by him, is aimed at fishing soccer talents across the State and launching them to the international football firmament, is one of his many contributions to the axiomatic 'Season of Sweetness' and 'People First' dogmas of the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration, which is delivering dividends to Cross Riverians.
The Senator, who was represented by the erstwhile Chairman of Ikom local government area, Hon. Ayiba Ojong Ayiba, nostalgically reminisced on the good days when sports, particularly football, excelled and received huge attention from all. He however regretted the complete decline and negligible attention given to the development of sports in Cross River and the nation at large.
The Yakurr-born politician commended Governor Otu for his far-reaching policies and programmes, which he said are yielding tremendous results in his charge for a greater Cross River State, and called on Cross Riverians to continue supporting the present administration to achieve the lofty vision for the state.
Inaugurating the LOC on behalf of the state government, the Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Agnes Atsu, described the sponsor of the forthcoming sports competition, Senator Eteng Williams, as a personality with the inclination of supporting initiatives, projects and programmes that engender development of the society.
The Commissioner who recalled the Senator's several helpful interventions to her in different fora, lauded the lawmaker for his idea of sponsoring a statewide school-based football tourney, rather than limiting it to just his senatorial district. She prayed for the strength and grace for the eminent legislator to carry on.
While expressing confidence in the abilities of members of the LOC, the Commissioner charged the committee to brace up and deliver on the objective set before them, inferring that their recognition was an important opportunity to contribute majorly to the discovery of the next generation of football stars from Cross River State to the world.
Also articulating his views, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports Development, Ekanem Ekpenyong, lauded Senator Williams for yielding to the appeal for partnership with the state government to take sports in the state to greater heights.
While highlighted the invaluable impact the All Secondary School Football tournament would have on the state, the sport enthusiast further enjoined the political class, corporate organizations, well-meaning Nigerians to borrow a leave from Senator Eteng Williams and invest in the sports sector of Cross River State to better the lots of the state's sports potentials.
Speaking on behalf of the LOC, its secretary, Sunny Udeh, assured with the crop of personalities on the team, the objective to discover sports talents for both the state and country would be achieved.
The 17-member Local Organizing Committee, made up of seasoned sports administrators and technocrats from the Ministry of Sports Development, State Sports Commission, Cross River State Football Association, representatives from Coaches Association, youth body, principals of schools, Ministry of Education, among others, is chaired by Ekanem Ekpenyong, with Sunny Udeh as secretary. Members include Ayiba Ayiba, Butum Ube, Daniel Obo, Tajie Jacob Daniel Ofem Obeten, Pastor Ewa, Orlando Asuquo, Talabi Oke, Edem Oyom, Cecilia Ogbuji, Rosemary Usang, Etim Nsa, Mr. Anwana, Okoho Eyo, Modey Uguge.
