By David Owei,Baylesa
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Bayelsa State Chapter has thrown its weight behind the local government finals of the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, tagged the Prosperity Cup.

ALGON expressed its commitment during a parley with members of the Central Organizing Committee, COC ahead of the local government finals.

According to the body, they are working towards successful finals across the 8 local government areas, while also expressing appreciation with the platform created by the governor to foster unity and peace amongst communities in the state.

ALGON applauded the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo for positively engaging the youths through sports and particularly the Prosperity Cup which is gradually attaining international recognition.

Meanwhile, the Central Organizing Committee, COC of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament has concluded arrangements for the local government finals.

Director General of the tournament, Mr. Ono Akpe in a statement on behalf of the committee shortly after a meeting with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ALGON disclosed that, the LGA finals will hold at the various Local Government Areas beginning from the 3rd of May, 2025.

According to him, the Prosperity Cup championship games will start on the 3rd of May, 2025 with Sangana FC and hard-fighting Igoni FC going head to head for the top prize in Brass LGA, while 5th of May will see Sampou FC and Adaka FC do battle in the Kolokuma/Opokuma final.

Thursday, the 8th of May 2025 will be the turn of Ekeremor LGA, as former champions, Krusaders FC keep a date with Youbolobo FC.

Nembe will be the cynosure of all eyes on the 10th of May, when Nembe City FC trade tackles with Okoroba FC, as Sagbama LGA defending champions, Agbere FC confront Indomitable FC in the Sagbama final on the 12th of May.

It will be Movers FC of Otuasega taking on high-flying Citiboi FC for the Ogbia LGA Top Prize on May 13th.

According to Mr. Akpe the battle ground shifts to Southern Ijaw on the 15th of May, 2025 when Professor Nimibofa Ayawei’s PNA FC clash with Oyoma FC, while Bayelsa United Feeders  will slug it out with Eternal Grace Ministries, E.G.M FC on May 17th, for the Yenagoa top honours.

By David Owei, Yenagoa.

The women’s edition of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament tagged the “Prosperity Cup” has kicked off with God’s Mercy City FC and Ezuogha Academy sending clear messages of intent to the rest of the pack.

In one of yesterday’s opening matches at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Ezougha Academy were so clinical and ruthless in their 8-nil demolition of Diamond Stars of Ayama-Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

The match commenced on an exciting note, but it was the Yenagoa based Ezuogha Academy that showcased their supremacy over their Southern Ijaw opponents.

Peculiar John found the back of the net four times, young and energetic midfielder, Princess Numulayefa bagged a hat-trick, while flying winger, Finine Doubrah’s solo effort completed the demolition exercise for Ezuogha Academy FC.

Earlier in the Female tournament’s curtain raiser at the same venue, God’s Mercy City FC humbled Federal University of Otuoke FC by three unreplied goals.

God’s Mercy City’s captain, Pere Richard was brought down in the box, following some skilful displays and centre referee, Rachael Onyekwere wasted no time in pointing to the spot.

Precious John stepped forward to send the goalkeeper of Federal University, Otuoke the wrong way to register her name in the scoresheet, while substitute Asumagha Judith buried the game just two minutes into the second half.

The tally would have increased if not for the heroics of goalkeeper Mitchell Edonkumoh, who put up some individual heroics to keep the scoreline low and respectable.

In a post match interview with sports writers, Coach of victorious Ezuogha Academy, Akren Beauty commended her girls for the determination throughout the encounter, noting that every game is important to them.

Despite the defeat, coach of Diamond Stars, Daniel Seimiesin said there are more positives take home in their defeat, pointing out that the competition has exposed the girls to better teams and playing turf, stating that the tournament would improve women’s football in the state.

According to him, their aim of participating in the competition was beyond winning trophy and the prize money but to consolidate on the dreams of the governor, Senator Douye Diri and the organizers of the tournament towards engaging the youths in the state positively.

In separate interviews, the member representing Yenagoa Constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Ayibanengiyefa Egba and the member representing Sagbama Constituency 3, Hon. Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown gave thumbs up to the organizers of the showpiece.

Hon. Egba, who took the kick-off of the second match remarked that she was pleased with the inclusion of the women version in the tournament, pointing out that she is confident that national team players would emerge from the tournament.

Also, Hon. Ndiomu who described Bayelsa as the home of female football in the country, noting that the governor’s passion for the development of sports has given youths in the state an alternative means to flourish.

Action continues on Friday at the Kpansia centre as Igbogene Starlight welcome Akeddei Queens by 3.00p.m. while the second match of the day will see Police Machine FC go up against Jerry Queens at 4.30p.m.

By David Owei ,Baylesa

Following Bayelsa’s emergence as champions of the first ever Niger Delta Sports Festival in Uyo, the President of Athletics Federation Nigeria, AFN, Chief Tonobok Okowa, has congratulated the state for its rising profile in athletics, which obviously was instrumental to their success at the festival.

Recall that Bayelsa won a total of nine (9) medals in athletics, comprising of three(3) gold, five (5) silver, and one(1) bronze, while the Para-athletes garnered ten (10) medals – four (4) gold, three(3) silver and three(3) bronze, making it one it’s highest number of medals in athletics in recent times.

Chief Okowa, who was speaking with newsmen shortly after the AFN’s Extraordinary Congress held in Yenagoa on Thursday, urged the state to sustain their recent feat in athletics, assuring that the federation will now beam its searchlight on the state for rising talents that will make the country proud at subsequent events.

The AFN President who also commended the initiative of the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri to build a new modern stadium, assured that the federation is working towards becoming the first to attract a major championship to the state, when the stadium is completed.

“We have promised the Governor that when the stadium is ready, we will be coming here and I pray that athletics will be the first to use that stadium, by the Grace of God, and I can tell you that anytime there is any athlete we feel is good to be discovered, we will pick up that athlete, just as we are happy with one of your daughters in school, who is still making wave this year, that is Tima Godbless, so same thing we will do when we see more”, he said.

Speaking on the resolution of the AFN congress attended by delegates across the country, Chief Okowa noted that an elective committee has been set up to plan and conduct the next Federation election billed for next month in Delta State.

“We deliberated on a lot of matters, which of course you know that our electoral congress is already around the corner, so we looked into some grey areas in our constitution that will help fine-tune our electoral guidelines.”

“We have appointed a seven-man electoral committee and a secretary. This committee will organize the elections and they will follow the guidelines as stipulated by the constitution.”

“We also picked up dates, the zonal elections will come up between 14th and 16th of May, and that of the President, the first and second Vice President will come up on the 31st of May.”

He noted that the current board under his leadership has done well judging by its achievements throughout its tenure, while emphasizing that the poor performance of Nigeria’s athletic contingent at the last Paris Olympics has been thoroughly looked into, with a view of ensuring that the country performs better at subsequent Olympics and other world championships.

“This board has done a very good job. We had issues but we were able to surmount them. Though what happened in Paris was a shame to Nigeria. A lot of things went wrong, and I can tell you that we didn’t prepare like a country preparing for Olympics, because we didn’t have funds until two weeks to the Olympics, and what can we do at that point?”

“Some of our athletes are abroad while others are here in Nigeria, we have just discovered about four young athletes and we have taken their names down for testing, and will follow them up between now and the World championships in May in Tokyo because that is what is next for Athletics now. We also have a championship coming up in May and that’s the world relays, and it will avail us the opportunity to qualify in all our relays for the next championship, so we pray that we prepare well, and the Sports Commission will help us prepare well so we rewrite all our wrongs.”

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria President concluded by appreciating the Governor for all his doing for sports development in Nigeria, which among other things include the hosting of the Nigerian Olympic Committee NOC, Nigerian Referees Council NRA, and now the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.

Prior to the extraordinary congress the state governor, Senator Douye Diri, received board members of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, where he welcomed them to the state and wished the federation a happy and successful deliberations.