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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Wife of Edo State governor, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, yesterday, said the introduction of her football tournament, tagged Betsy Obaseki Football Tournament, is to checkmate human trafficking and encourage girl-child on earning dollars at home without being trafficked abroad for prostitution.
The First Lady stated this while inspecting facilities in the state ahead of the tournament announced that winner would of the competition will go home with N5 million.
“The whole idea or philosophy behind this thing is a long standing one.
“It is not what we decided to do for a few time. So we decided to do it for any other reasons other than the one that would have long lasting impact on our girls; not just our girls in Edo State, but across the country. When you have the mind, you have the goal to change the narrative.
“You know we have suffered a lot of backlash with human trafficking. We had a lot of our girls going out of the country, but with this current administration, it’s being curbed.
“We were number one worldwide in human trafficking, but now we are in number five or six in the four to five years of the Obaseki’s administration.
“So that says a lot. We are still working hard and pushing; and try to provide our girls with the alternatives for earning dollar and for finding work and building a career and gratifying a meaningful career at home.
“That is one of the objectives that is not going to last for one year, five years, ten years. It is going to last for 20, 50 years, as long as opportunity exists.
“Who know the century football started worldwide and it is getting stronger and stronger, isn’t it?. This is going to last as long as football exists in the world; by God’s grace”, Mrs Obaseki said.
She added that this year’s tournament would be used to disabuse the minds of young Nigerians on the abuse of drugs.
“We are planning to have soft type seminars, rendezvous and with some relevant stakeholders nationally on combating drug abuse in our country, because every year we come up with a theme.
“It is not just about playing football, we also want to send out messages to our young ones. Last year, it was about promoting girl child education, but this year, we are saying no to drugs.
“Last year, we did nothing around, apart from playing football , but this year, we are going to have soft discussion and we are going to continue every year with some activities around the topic with our invitees and with our young girls and with our players as well.
“We will also invite girl students from our secondary schools to attend and have an interaction with us and go back with some knowledge and more awareness”, she said.
Commenting on the facilities on ground, Mrs Obaseki said they were of international standard.
“Last year was our first year and even us, who organized it including the participants were all pleasantly surprised and pleased with the performance.
“It was world class from day one. You recall that FIFA had an event early this year in Qatar and they recognized what happened here in Edo State and gave the government of Edo State an award and our Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu went and received it.
“For our first outing to have caught international recognition and acclaim, it says a lot.
“So, really, that is why people here are permanent because they did just a good job last year and they would remain with us for all time. There is really little
improvement because we did so much last year”, she stated.
On the calibre of persons expected at the event, the Edo First Lady said dignitaries across the globe are expected to grace the tournament.
“I am going to keep some as secret to be a form of surprise and for security reason also, but we are expecting VIPs from international organisations operating in the country that are friendly with the government and that also have passion for the course we are fighting.
“They are passionate about our mute development generally. Some of them are going to be here attending”, she said.
