By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The Senator representing the Edo South senatorial district at the national assembly, Neda Imasuen has unveiled the much talked about maiden edition of the Benin Unity Football Cup in Edo as part of developing talents and tackling youths restiveness in the state.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, he said that, the state is highly endowed with raw talents that must be discovered and harnessed through such competition.
“This is the essence, and to also make sure that the youths are empowered. When you empower people, it’s not just giving them jobs in your normal ministries and departments but helping them to be who they are, developing their talents, to make sure that they themselves can also reach the lives of others.
“Edo state is huge with talents. And we haven’t even begun to scratch that, to begin to harness these huge opportunities that we have.
“And so I’m hoping that through this initiative, that we’ll be able to bring these talents on board, and to develop them, so they can have respect, they can have dignity and something that is enviable, that they can be very proud about. And that can also enhance the state and the country”, Imasuen said.
Senator Imasuen added that, organizing the tournament for the youths is to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Mr. President, Bola Tinubu’s and the Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo who is a lover of sports.
“And this is also in a way of keying into that Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, to make sure that we are able to help the government in any way we can.
“Our Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, everybody knows that he also loves sports. And so we’re all coming together to bring these initiatives.
“It’s going to help to address the issues of unemployment as well. It’s also going to address the issues of youths’ restiveness in the country”, Imasuen added.
Speaking also, the Director General of the National Institute for Sports NIS, Philip Shuaibu, commended the senator representing the Edo South senatorial district for keying into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu who has invested so much in sports.
He promised to contribute his quota to ensure the success of the tournament.
For the Commissioner of Sports, Edo State, Charity Amayanvbho, he described football as a veritable tool for youths empowerment noting that, it will help reduce youths restiveness and other social vices in the state.
He urged other members representing the state at the national assembly to emulate Senator Neda Imasuen so that, such a tournament can be replicated in the three senatorial districts.
For Omon-Ojo, the tournament will be an avenue to discover raw and more talents, stressing that, Edo State, from the time immemorial has been known for sports and can’t afford to take the back seat now.
He commended the organizers of the tournament for coming up with such initiative that would help to unify the youths.
