The chairman of Isoko Traditional Rulers Council, His Majesty, Anthony William Ovrawah Asanido 1 of Oleh kingdom and the chairman, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, Augustine Ogedegbe, have endorsed the Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Football Tournament, being organized by a non-governmental organization, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice.
The duo gave the endorsement separately on Monday while hosting members of the Local Organizing Committee, led by the National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Sheriff Mulade and the LOC chairman, Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha, who paid them courtesy visits, to formally seek their support and presence at the commencement of the competition, billed to kick off on November 16, 2024 at Ode Itsekiri, Warri South Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking during the visit to the traditional ruler in his palace at Oleh, headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area, Mulade explained that the football competition was “birthed to promote peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups in Delta Central and Delta South of the state, adding that it is also an avenue to scout for talented young persons who can also be featured at national football games.”
Mulade said, “This year marks the fourth edition of the tournament, which has now been expanded to include the Isoko and Urhobo ethnic groups alongside the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities.”
Responding, the monarch, represented by the spokesman of Oleh kingdom’s Council of Chiefs, Chief Obaro Ekukube, endorsed the competition just as he affirmed his unalloyed support toward the success of the games.
He also expressed gratitude to Mulade “for leveraging on football as a platform for building peace across Delta State.”
In the same vein, the Chairman of Ethiope East LGA, Chief Ogedegbe, endorsed the football competition when the LOC team arrived at Isiokolo, where they officially presented the chairman an invitation to be part of the sporting event.
The council boss thanked the organizers for the initiative, noting that “football brings about unity, friendship and to some extent connections.
“I assure you that adequate security will be put in place. Our doors are open.”
Mulade and the immediate past chairman of Delta Football Association, Kenneth Nwaomucha, had earlier appealed to the local government council chairman to avail himself for the games.
He said, “We are also nominating you to participate in the friendly novelty match. We want to use this opportunity to invite you to show that your local council is collaborating to also further the MORE Agenda of the state government.”
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