A football competition has been launched by a group known as the Collective Hope And Light-hearted Youths Empowerment Association in the five South-Eastern states of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia, and Ebonyi.
The President of the group, Chukwuemeka Kenneth, announced during the launch on Monday that the main goals of the competition include restoring peace and unity to the troubled old South-Eastern region of Nigeria.
Kenneth also mentioned that the Local Organising Committee is working diligently to ensure that the tournament fulfills its objectives of uniting the people of the sister states.
In addition, the Chairman of the LOC, Nkado Onyebuchi, highlighted the significance of sports as a unifying factor and expressed that the Eastern Unity Tournament is open for sponsorship.
Nkado, while appealing for sponsorship and support from well-meaning Igbo individuals, lamented the lack of funding which prevented the realization of the first edition of the competition.
Seeking assistance, Nkado stated, “Unfortunately, we faced financial constraints in organizing our initial edition, leading to a significant setback for the competition.
“Despite having many arrangements in place prior to the start date, our limited resources hindered our progress. This tournament aims to unearth hidden talents among the youths residing in the rural areas.”
He further elaborated that all football clubs from the former Eastern region encompassing Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states are eligible to participate.