Anambra State has emerged as the overall winner of the 3rd edition of the South East Secondary Schools Cricket Championship of Omezua Ezi Okoro Cup for boys and girls just as Imo State came second while Ebonyi State won the third place position.
The five days intensive competition which has been annually
sponsored by Well Limited Energy and under the supervision of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) ended last Sunday at Government College Owerri as Imo State played host to the 2021 competition.
In her speech, Mrs Henrietta Agbaere, Director, Imo State Sports Commission who doubled as Chairman of the occasion and inadvertently represented the State Commissioner for Sports and Youths Development, Mr. Chike Ogu expressed satisfaction with the levels of participation and the facilities provided.
Ogu commended the event sponsor for his patriotic vision of lifting Cricket in the zone through talents enhancement and discoveries and reassured of the state government plans to rehabilitate the only standard Cricket pitch in the state built over fifty years ago and with ultra modern facilities.
Responding, High Chief Rodney Ajaelu one time Commissioner in Imo State, and the Chairman, Imo State Cricket Association who ably represented the Sponsor, Chief Chika Okoro, former board member of Nigeria Federation of Cricket who he said was absent due to exigencies of duties.
Okoro expressed satisfaction with the organization and the peaceful environment noting that Owerri and Imo State are safe.
He recalled that the maiden edition was organized in 2018 with Imo State emerging an overall winner while Ebonyi State won the 2019 edition and the 2020 could not hold due to Covid-19 pandemic.
The business icon reiterated that the essence of the annual event is to discover hidden talents within the zone by encouraging and motivating interested students in primary and secondary Schools.
Okoro further informed that next year each of the State must register both male and female team as plans have been advanced to also sponsor the sports among primary schools in South East.
Adding his voice, Mr. Alex Mbamalu, the Coach in charge of South East Zone and the Chairman Local Organizing Committee(LOC) applauded the participants and organizers for exhibiting discipline and maturity of participation.
Mbamalu further commended Chief Chika Okoro for his passion and sacrifices in sponsoring the competition as well as Mr. Asika Ikemefula, South East Chairman Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers of Nigeria (ACUSN) and the competition Match Commissioner for his developmental vision of the world class sports.
Similarly, Mr. Charles Obasi, the South East Regional Development Officer of the Federation and Secretary LOC of the competition described the competition organization as superb and wholesome.
Obasi pointed out that the essence of the competition in terms of harnessing budding talents is overwhelmingly achieved even as they ran Umpires course in which the 5 South Eastern States participated actively.
He also revealed that within the period they equally inaugurated Ebonyi State Umpires Chapter informing that Cricket Umpire body is called Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers of Nigeria (ACUSN), thus in the entire South East, ACUSN has two centres that’s Ebonyi and Anambra State Chapters.
The highlight of the occasion was issuing of individual and group medals, handing over of trophies and distribution of free cricket facilities to all the States of the South East.
