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… Holds in 774 LGAs October 1
The National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), have declared full support for the Renewed Hope Unity Cup tournament.
Throwing their weights behind the tournament during the unveiling of the competition billed to kick-off October 1, they hinged their decisions on the contributions President Bola Tinubu has made in the development of Nigerian sports particularly football.
“The NSC expressed its delight in supporting the Renewed Hope Unity Cup initiative. It as a platform that extends beyond local communities to become a truly national movement for youth development and unity. “The Commission conveys appreciation to the organisers, and we are proud to be associated with the initiative and its vision of promoting football across all 774 Local Government Areas.
“The Commission also acknowledged the unprecedented support received from President Tinubu’s administration. The sports sector is enjoying a level of government backing never witnessed before.
“There was a period when funding for the maintenance of sports facilities remained at zero for several consecutive years. However, under the current administration, over N200 billion has been allocated for facility maintenance, reflecting the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to sports infrastructure development,” the Commission noted.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the National Convener of the Unity Cup tournament and former member of the House of Representatives, Suleiman Kwande, described the tournament as a visionary national grassroots football initiative conceived to revolutionise football development across the country.
He revealed that while the tournament, basically for male footballers between the ages of 18 to 20 years, will last for two months, the participating teams will be fully kitted
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“For the first time in the history of Nigerian football, all the 774 LGAs of the federation will be represented in one unified competition, making it the largest, most inclusive, and most ambitious grassroots football tournament ever conceived in the country.
“The tournament is founded on the conviction that football is far more than a sport. It is a powerful instrument for nation-building, social integration, talent discovery, economic empowerment, youth development, and the promotion of peace and national cohesion.
“Beyond competition, the National Renewed Hope Unity Cup is designed to establish a sustainable football development ecosystem that will strengthen grassroots institutions, create opportunities for young Nigerians, and contribute meaningfully to the Renewed Hope Agenda through sports,” he said.
Enumerating the advantages of the tournament,Hon Kwande said: “It will promote National Unity and Social Cohesion, discover, Develop and Showcase football talents, guarantee fournies for every LGA, global visibility through digital broadcasting, support and equip participating teams, strengthen grassroots football development, national coaches capacity development programme (train-the-trainer initiative) among others.
Speaking on the funding and strategic partnership, Kwande who is currently the Plateau State Football Association said: “The successful implementation of this landmark initiative will be driven through strategic partnerships hopefully involving the federal state governments, the private sector, corporate Nigeria, development partners, international football organizations, friends and well-wishers of the President, philanthropic organizations, and patriotic Nigerians committed to advancing football and youth development.”
“These partnerships will facilitate the provision of football equipment, coaching education, live broadcast infrastructure, player welfare, logistics, talent identification programmes, and other critical resources required to deliver a world-class grassroots football competition.
“Together, these stakeholders will contribute to building a sustainable football ecosystem that will continue to produce elite players, qualified coaches, and stronger football institutions for generations to come,” he said.
