By Ikenna Nwokedi 

The 2025 edition of the Rector's Unity Cup competition has kicked off at the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State.

The annual football competition which kicked off on Wednesday, 14th May, 2025 with the grand finale scheduled for Wednesday, 28th May, 2025 is part of activities marking the 100 days in office of the institution's Rector, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie.

Defending Champions, School of Engineering Technology will hope to defend the trophy they won two years ago against seven other schools of the Polytechnic. 

School of Engineering Technology were drawn in Group B against School of Applied Sciences; School of Environmental Design and Technology; and School of Information Technology. Group A has School of Arts, Design and Printing Technology; School of Business Studies; School of Financial Studies and School of Science and Laboratory Technology.

The competition which is for male undergraduate students of the institution saw the Rector, Dr. Awuzie performing the ceremonial kickoff of the competition with a novelty match where Teaching Staff defeated Non-teaching Staff by two unreplied goals with members of the Governing Council, Polytechnic Management, Directors, Deans, Heads of Departments and the students all in attendance.

According to Coach Uche Okafor, Head Coach of the institution, the winner of the football competition will smile home with the sum of N200,000 with the first and second runners-up each going home with the sums of N100,000 and N50,000 respectively while there will be prizes for the Highest Goal Scorer, Best Goalkeeper, other gift items and certificate of participations.

Coach Okafor disclosed that the competition apart from celebrating the 100 days in office of the Rector is geared towards promoting academic and sports excellence in the institution, fostering unity in the Polytechnic and as well aiding the Sports Directorate in raising talented Student-Athletes that will fly the flag of the institution in Inter Polytechnic and Tertiary Sports Competitions in Nigeria. 

The sports administrator thanked the Rector for giving the nod for the competition to hold while admonishing the students to make the best of the opportunity through the competition.

*2025 Rector's Unity Cup Competition Results So Far:*

*Thursday, 15th May, 2025*
School of Arts, Design and Printing Technology 2-0 School of Financial Studies
School of Business Studies 0-1 School of Science Lab. Technology

*Friday, 16th May, 2025*
School of Environmental Technology 1-0 School of Applied Sciences
School of Engineering Technology 1-0 School of Information 

*Saturday, 17th May, 2025*
School of Science Lab. Technology 1-1 School of Arts, Design and Printing Technology 
School of Business Studies 4-1 School of Financial Studies 

*Sunday, 18th May, 2025*
School of Information 2-1 School of Applied Sciences 
School of Environmental Technology 2-2 School of Engineering Technology

*Fixtures:*
*Tuesday, 20th May, 2025*
School of Financial Studies V School of Science Lab. Technology 

*Wednesday, 21st May, 2025*
School of Arts, Design and Printing Technology V School of Business Studies

*Thursday, 22nd May, 2025*
School of Environmental Technology V School of Information Technology 

*Friday, 23rd May, 2025*
School of Applied Sciences V School of Engineering Technology 

*Semi-Finals*
*Sunday, 25th May, 2025*
1st Semi-Final match: 1st in Group A V 2nd in Group B - 2pm
2nd Semi-Final match: 1st in Group B V 2nd in Group A - 4pm

*Third Place Match*
*Tuesday, 27th May, 2025*
Loser Semi-Final 1 V Loser Semi-Final 2

*Grand Finale*
*Wednesday, 28th May, 2025*
Winner Semi-Final 1 V Winner Semi-Final 2 by 3pm.