*8th Adamu Yola Gombe South Cup Kicks Off Registrations Amidst Exciting Partnerships*

The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the 8th Adamu Yola Gombe South Unity Cup has declared the official commencement of online registrations for interested teams aiming to participate in this edition.

Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Promise Uwaeme, made the announcement during a Press Conference held yesterday, 1st of November, 2023 at Jewel Hotel Hall in Kaltungo, Gombe. 

Uwaeme outlined the registration period, spanning from November 1st to November 11th, 2023, emphasizing that no extensions will be granted due to existing delays. 

"The earlier you register, the better for you because there will be no extension as you can see that we are behind schedule," Uwaeme stated.

Each participating team is required to remit a registration fee of five thousand naira while enrolling their team and players via the online registration portal within the stipulated timeframe. 

Uwaeme underscored that the committee decided to maintain the five-thousand-naira registration fee, despite economic fluctuations, “Of course our registration money, we know that the economy is up and down, we had several discussions on if we should increase the registration fee but we all agreed that we should still maintain the five-thousand-naira registration fee.”

Furthermore, Uwaeme cautioned against registering previously suspended players, warning that doing so may result in disqualification from the tournament. He urged teams to stay updated via the Foundation’s social media channels for additional information.

In a significant revelation, Uwaeme announced collaborations for this year's tournament, particularly with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Gombe State Command. 

The theme "DRUG FREE COMMUNITIES" will be integrated into the 2023 Beyond Football Campaign Initiative. 

Additionally, a partnership with the Gombe state office of Airtel Nigeria was disclosed, promising technical support for live match streaming and special packages for participating teams, “We have agreed with Airtel that they will provide us with technical support as well as provide free sim cards and registration for teams and they will also provide us with internet connections so that we can stream all our matches live for those who might not be present in match venues and will like to watch.”

The final round of the 8th edition is scheduled to be hosted by Billiri Local Government, a decision Uwaeme greeted with enthusiasm, recalling the successful 6th edition hosted in the same region, “I am glad to announce to you that Billiri will host this year’s final round just as we did in the 6th edition.” 

Gilbert Ezeh, the Business Manager of Airtel Nigeria in Gombe State, expressed Airtel's enthusiasm for the strategic partnership, underscoring the brand’s alignment with the youth and local communities. 

“This is the type of strategic partnership that Airtel looks forward to, the reason is, if you have noticed, Airtel is the most youth-loving brand in the country. And Airtel also looks for opportunities to give back to its local communities. We are looking forward to continuing on this ground, in fact, if you have any proposition especially when it is right for humanity or when it is all-inclusive, we are up for it. So, when this opportunity came knowing that soccer is the most loved sport, we felt it was a big one that we can leverage on. So, we feel super excited to be part of this edition and hopefully we can continue on this ground.”