The Governor of Benue State, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has assured the sports loving people of Benue State of continuous growth and development in the game of football.
The Governor gave the assurance on Saturday, at the Grand Finale of the 2024 Governor’s Cup competition decided at the JS Tarka stadium in Gboko Local Government Area of the , State.
Governor said “I am happy that I have come to witness this great outing myself. It is an incentive for me to ensure that even much more is done in the life of football in the state. I am happy that the promise made is a promise fulfilled this evening”.
“It is quite exciting and amazing to see all the young talents that we have in this state, particularly the two great teams that featured in the final, Vandeikya and Agatu Local Governments play to a stand still.
” We will continue to support you and promote sports because even among those who played in the competition, we have great legs and great minds who must be supported”.
He explained that since it was under his regime that the players were making their football outing, the sky would be their limit because he would be all out to encourage them.
The governor averred that, ” as the NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau was discussing with His Royal Majesty, the Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Professor James Ayatse on how 40% of the national team players came from Benue State, I said we are going to revive that again and put Benue State on the national soccer raddar”.
He thanked the NFF President, Gusau for donating the Governor’s Cup trophy which was competed for and that, “this is how he encourages sports because he understands the dynamics of sports, the uniting force of sports and then seeing the excitement in the young people”.
The governor who assured that after the renovation at the Aper Aku stadium Makurdi, attention would be shifted to the JS Tarka Stadium Gboko even as he congratulated the finalists for their great courage and unwavering efforts to ensuring that they played in the final and also the female teams, Katsina Ala and Gwer-West for playing in the female final.
He made a personal cash donation to the teams that played in the finals and the 3rd places both in the male and female categories according to their positions.
Governor Alia gave the male category, Vandeikya LGA , ₦3m, Agatu LGA ₦2m , Katsina Ala LGA ₦1.6M and Apa LGA received ₦1 m.
While in the female category, Katsina -Ala who came first got ₦2.1 m, Gwer- West LGA ₦1.8 m, Ogbadibo LGA ₦1.6 m and Vandeikya ₦1 m respectively.
In his remarks, President of the NFF, Ibrahim Gusau said, “your Excellency, I must say I am the happiest man today, because when I first pleaded with you to revive the Governor’s Cup which I donated a giant trophy, you graciously accepted and today, we are here witnessing the final and you can see the excitement around the stadium”.
He pointed out that, “I want to assure you that since you have a good and listening governor who is ready to partner the NFF to rename football in the State, we will always be ready to work with him to ensure that football comes back to life in Benue State”.
The NFF President who pleaded with the governor to fix the JS Tarka Stadium Gboko, reminisced that, “the first time I came to this stadium was with my local team, the defunct Zamtex FC of Zamfara when they played against the BCC Lions FC of Gboko in 1986.
He said that the stadium has great history, appealing to the governor to revive it .
Earlier, the BSFA Chairman, Dr Paul Edeh who expressed appreciation to the governor for undertaking a huge task of putting back the Aper Aku stadium, where the NFF can host the Super Eagles, Falcons and other national and international matches, thanked the NFF President, the Commissioner of Youth, Sports and Creativity, Hon Terkimbi IKyange, and everyone that made the event a success as well as the participating teams.
