Ebonyi Speaker, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, flagging off the 2022 Izzi Football Competition at Anmegu, the Izzi Nnodo ancestral home in Abakaliki LGA of Ebonyi State.
From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
Following his resilience to promote sports development, the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru on Sunday flagged off the 2022 Edition of the Izzi Football Competition, IFC.
Recall that Chief Nwifuru, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Ebonyi State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had on Sunday 7th February 2021 kicked off this football tournament under his sponsorship.
The Football team of Ebonyi Development Centre from Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State won the trophy of the 2021 Izzi Nnodo football competition under the care of the Izzi Football Association (IFA).
The football competition in 2021 was fully participated in by the 13 Development Centres of Izzi extraction in Ebonyi State.
The grand finale of this tournament in 2021 was held on Sunday at PA Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, where the Ebonyi Development Centre football team defeated the Ebyia Development Centre players from Izzi Local Government Area by two goals to nothing (2-0), to claim the ultimate prize.
Not relenting in his effort to develop sporting activities in the state, Nwifuru has kicked off the 2022 notch of the football tournament.
The APC governorship hopeful stated this in his confirmed social media wall on Monday.
According to him, "In our bid to further develop sporting activities in Ebonyi State, I kicked off the 2022 Izzi Football Competition, yesterday, Sunday, October 2, 2022, at the Izzi Ancestral Home Football field, in Amegu, Abakaliki Local Government Area.
"This has become an annual event between the thirteen Development Centres of Izzi extraction, under my modest sponsorship. It is a miniature of what is to come from me for the entire State, when we begin our administration, by God’s special Grace, come May 29, 2023.
"Sporting activities and football specifically, could be financially intensive to run, but no amount can compare to its positive impact on development, unity, security, love, physical and mental fitness, entertainment and overall growth, which it brings to our youths and all of us in general. And so, we will consolidate on the sporting development already in place and make it better."
Nwifuru congratulated the Izzi Football Association, IFA, for starting this year’s competition on a good footing, wishing all the teams the best of luck and an injury-free event, and noted that yesterday’s opener between Ebyia DC and Ebonyi DC ended 2-2."
