From Abubakar Abdullahi, in Lafia
There is an understanding of the transformative power of sports in shaping young minds and bodies. Football stands out as an activity that offers an array of physical, mental, and social benefits for youths.
Football, like many other sports, helps to promote culture of peace and togetherness, and competing in it also helps in engaging the youths as a source of livelihood.
Since the creation of Nasarawa state in 1996, Governor’s Cup Football competition had been going on until it was halted 13 years ago.
The reintroduction of the competition by the current leadership of Football Association (FA) under the Chairmanship of Salisu Galadima has ushered in a new lease for the sports sector in the state.
Addressing journalists at the opening of the competition on September 10 during a match between Lafia LG and Nasarawa Eggon LG, the State FA Chairman Galadima said the return of the competition was part of his promises when he was inaugurated.
He said the FA in collaboration with the state government was determined to identify the football hidden talent in the grassroots of the state.
Galadima assured football lovers as well as residents of the state that football will take a new shape in the state by not only organizing the Governor’s cup competition but also engaging in other activities that would give youths several opportunities of moving out of the streets and becoming self-reliant.
Participants in the competition were drawn from the 13 Local Government Areas of Akwanga, Awe, Doma, Karu, Keana, Keffi, Kokona, Lafia, Nasarawa, Nassarawa Eggon, Obi, Toto and Wamba.
In an interview, Governor Abdullahi Sule of the state expressed happiness with the return of the competition, and its acceptance by people across the 13 local government areas of the state.
He said it was part of his belief that the competition, having brought people together irrespective of age, ethnicity, religion and political party affiliations, would also promote the already existing peace the state is enjoying.
“When I was told that we spent about 13 years without having the Governor’s cup competition, actually I was concerned because I believe very strongly that sport is one thing that brings people together irrespective of age, ethnicity, religion and what have you.
“I’m happy that we’re beginning to have the Governor’s cup again in Nasarawa State.”
Governor Sule said with the calibre of players he watched, the competition indicated that a lot of grassroots football is ongoing in the state.
He said the participating players, if given good coaching, can represent both the state and the country at any level of football competition in the world.
According to the Governor, the competition was an eye opener that is giving the opportunity to begin to look out from the various local governments and by extension to source for the state own team players locally.
“Sport is not only leisure but business and through it, we would be able to have players from the state that can play for the big teams outside the country.”
Governor Sule also promised to make additional investment in the Lafia Township Stadium to improve its standard as well as construct 2 or 3 mini stadia in other parts of the state outside Lafia.
“We’re waiting for the rainy season to subside to execute our plan of making additional investments in the Lafia Township Stadium so that we can bring up its level of standard.
“We’re also looking at construction of 2 to 3 stadia in other parts of the.”
On his part, the National President of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON Aminu Maifata described the displays by the players at the competition as wonderful.
He said “though players of some local governments outplayed others, but generally speaking the performances of players were fantastic.”
According to the ALGON President who is the Lafia Local Government Chairman in Nasarawa State, the competition brought out the quality players at the grassroots whom, if given higher responsibility, they can excel in football.
Maifata said ALGON has a plan that if financial inflows increase in the local government, more sports arenas would be established to support various state governments in creating more opportunities for grassroots sporting activities in 774 LGAs.
The Governor’s Cup Competition attracted thousands of fans from the participating 13 local government areas who expressed joy over the return of the competition 13 years after it was halted.
Ibrahim Shafa of Toto LG said since the suspension of the competition 13 years ago, many football lovers in the state had been waiting and looking for when the much-loved competition would come into play again.
He said the game has given players an opportunity to showcase their talents and for spectators to watch different matches to their admiration.
Shafa explained that the competition was one of the unity components of the state because it gives residents the rare privilege to meet with one another to share a lot in common.
A female fan from Akwanga, Joy Kyuni said the competition would go a long way in empowering the youths through talent recovery.
She said government and state FA thought wisely in rejuvenating the competition because it not only empowers the youths but also takes many of them out of the streets and improves the already peaceful atmosphere in the state.
Some analysts of the competition described it as a commitment of the government and FA in further developing the grassroots football that has become a big platform for nurturing young talents and uniting different communities in the state and beyond.
For many of the players, grassroots football has the aim of bringing everyone together and providing access to football for everyone, regardless of age, gender, physical ability, race or religion. As a result, there is no age bracket for grassroots football.
