All roads will lead to the practice pitch of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri as from October 26th as Ikukuoma Foundation in partnership with Like-Minds Fitness Club, Owerri co-ordinate the debut edition of the Ikukuoma Secondary Schools Football Competition for schools in the Owerri Zone Senatorial District of Imo state.
The competition, which is aimed at strengthening sporting activities in Secondary Schools in Owerri Zone of the Imo State is sponsored by the President of Ikukuoma Foundation, Dr. Summers VC Nwokie and organized by Like-Minds Fitness Club in conjunction with Imo State Ministry of Education and Imo State School Sports.
Explaining the modalities of the competition to journalists in Owerri on Tuesday, the Director General of the humanitarian outfit, Comrade Julius Nnaji said Ikukuoma Foundation is a non profit organisation set up to make impact in the world in the area of community/ rural developmental projects and nurturing talents to stardom through sports and also helping the physically challenged and less privileged.
He reiterated the commitments of the foundation in the area of sports, health using same as a veritable tool for youth development and also reeled out some of the activities done so far in that respect, by the foundation.
He also pointed out the need for such sporting activities to be narrowed down to secondary schools in a bid to make foundational basements aimed at creating future athletes who can make meaningful livelihoods via sports as well as reducing social vices which may be occasioned by idleness and bad associations.
The President of Like-Minds Fitness Club, Mr Chuks Dike while speaking on the upcoming event, corroborated the facts earlier highlighted by Comrade Nnaji stating that the competition was borne out of the desire to give back to the society.
Dike maintained that secondary school football tournaments has in the past acted as a ladder for young talented footballers to climb to greatness, saying that school sports had produced ex internationals, such as, Henry Nwosu (MON), Kanu Nwankwo (OON), Mobi Oparaku (MON) including himself (Chuks Dike).
He expressed that these men have in one way or the other contributed their own quota in bringing back to life the long abandoned, School games which he pointed out has brought so many glory to the nation at the International scene.
He sought assistance from public spirited individuals and corporate bodies to support the efforts of the founder of Ikukuoma Foundation, Dr. Summers V.C Nwokie, who is the sole financier of the football event that will start next week.
In her own contribution, Head of the Health Unit of Ikukuoma Foundation, Mrs Pearl Ihuoma, who spoke with gratitude said the competition will apart from reducing social vices and help the participants stay healthy in line with the foundations programme of; “Healthy Thinking Club Initiative”, a Secondary School programme being run by Ikukuoma Foundation, aimed at moral and social growth of students.
The tournament is supported and endorsed by Imo State Ministry of Education and Imo State Football Association as they are equally involved in oversight partnership.
The competition sponsored by Ikukuoma Foundation for secondary schools in Owerri zone is a welcome relief with competition of such nature yet to be done in years.
The gesture by Ikukuoma Foundation and their technical partners, Like-Minds Fitness Club will greatly make a difference by bringing back the glory days.
20 Schools from Owerri Zone are expected to take part in the 2 weeks tournament as the draws will be held this weekend at the Ministry of Education Auditorium at State Secretariat, Owerri.
So many wonderful incentives and heartwarming prizes are to be won by the participating schools. The winner of the tournament will smile home with N200,000 while the second and third will receive N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.
Players and schools that distinguished themselves would also be rewarded. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the competition; Highest scorer; and Best Goalkeeper will each collect N20,000 while the Most Disciplined School will be rewarded with N50,000.
The organisers have also announced that players that distinguished themselves would be spotted and harnessed to form an academy that will be very active and used to help pick players with foreign deals in mind.
