By: Chinedum Ohanusi 

 

A fresh call has gone to FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Ezemuo Wike, incumbent FCT Senator, Ireti Heebah Kingibe, and the leadership of FCT Sports Department, to explore ways of ensuring that work at the MOPOL Field in Nyanya, is conclusively executed.

A member of the Media Committee of an annual grassroots football tournament, One Big Family, Mr Charles Bankole made the call while speaking to Sports Day about the challenges, hindering the smooth  organization of the 2024 edition of the tournament.

In specific terms, Bankole appealed to the initiator of the project, Senator Philip Aduda, the incumbent FCT Senator, Heebah Kingibe, and the FCT Sports Department to take steps, and see to the logical completion of the remaining 30% of the job.

"The pitch was completely scrapped, and artificial turf was to be laid here, after the drainage system was fixed. The original concept was to have a mini sports complex with an additional stand where people can sit, and flood lights for evening games; but the job stalled at a point when the contractor requested, but was refused valuation. By then they have started laying the turf". 

Bankole linked the inability of the contractor to complete the rehabilitation work, with the fall in the value of the Naira, as many of the components like the astro turf, stadium flood lights etc, needed to be imported with foreign exchange.

"Let me say, 70% of the job has been completed, and the contractor seemed to have left the site. But the tournament had to start, and we didn't have an alternative venue, so we managed to find some expertise amongst ourselves to lay the remainder of the astro turf", he asserted.

According to him, "since the competition kicked off, over a week ago, the crowd that gathers here everyday, irrespective of the harsh weather is between four and five thousand". This he said is a testimony of how football is loved in this area. 

Some of the teams taking part in this year's competition, are from as far as Keffi in Nasarawa State, Orozo in the outskirts of the FCT, and Madalla in Nigeria State; meaning the opportunities for marketers and politicians to reach these youths, as well as the young at heart who are always out in their numbers to cheer the players is huge. 

Bankole, described One Big Family, as the biggest none League and Grassroots organizers of a football tournament, in the FCT, and further suggested that Senator Kingibe, and the sports-loving FCT Minister, Barrister Wike who has done marvelously well in completing several projects, started by the previous administration; to  explore the possibility of including the remaining 30% of uncompleted work in the budget of an ongoing project, for work on the sports complex to be perfectly executed.

Photo: Uncompleted 
Work

Meanwhile, a record number of 40 teams are registered for the 2024 tournament, and they are housed in eight groups, of five teams each. 

The preliminary round is ongoing, and is being played on round-robbin bases, where the two top teams, will automatically qualify for the round of sixteen (16); and from that stage on, the competition will switch to a knockout format, where the quarter, semi, and ultimate finalists will emerge.

Last year, there were 36 teams competing for honours, but Bankole said the pressure from teams that abound in the Nyanya-Mararaba axis is huge, and the main organizing committee were compelled to expand the scope of the competition, to accommodate forty teams. 

Masaca United won the last edition by defeating Dunamis Football Academy 1-0 in the final, and began the defense of their title very well by winning their first match against Southern Kaduna FC  2-1, in Group A.