Prosperity Football Cup: Congratulations EGM FC!

By Douye Diri

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It was celebration of football excellence yesterday during the finals of this year’s Prosperity Cup at the main bowl of the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Ovom.

After regulation time ended goalless, Eternal Grace Ministries Football Club won 3-2 on penalties against Advanced Dreams Football Academy.

I truly want to agree with the lead organiser, Mr. Ono Akpe, that the tournament has become the biggest grassroots football competition in Africa, given the packed stadium and the large number of participating teams from the preliminary rounds.

I felt delighted watching the game alongside top Nigerian football administrators and stakeholders, where we saw real talents and raw skills on display by male and female players in both finals.

Thank you H.E Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, newly appointed Director-General, National Institute for Sports, and the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, for leading the pack of football stakeholders to Yenagoa for the game.

As a government, we will continue to invest in the youth of the state via sports development, and that is why we are building a FIFA standard stadium.

It is good to cheer that Bayelsa’s performance in sports has improved significantly under our Government of Assured Prosperity in the last five years, emerging second in the last two editions of the National Sports Festival in Delta (2022) and Ogun (2024) and was champion at the maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in April this year.

With our renewed investment and the outstanding performance of our athletes at national and international competitions, we are striving to be number one in sports in Nigeria.

We are very ambitious and with the assurance that our new 25,000 capacity stadium will be ready in about two years, I have directed the Commissioner for Sports Development, Champion Hon. Daniel Igali, to make a bid for the hosting of the National Sports Festival in 2028.

While congratulating the participating teams for showing strength and determination, I wish to appreciate the organising committee and our partners, particularly Premium Trust Bank and the Nigeria Football Federation, for making it a competition people look forward to, every year.