By Francis Sadhere, Warri
The Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), a nongovernmental organisation with headquarters at Ugolo in Osubi, Delta State, says it’s going to mark this year’s International Day of Peace with the 3rd edition of the Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Football Tournament.
The tournament, according to Chief (Comr) Sheriff Mulade, National Coordinator, CEPEJ, will kick off on Wednesday November 16, 2022.
Chief Mulade, who inaugurated a 15-member committee at CEPEJ’s Africa for Peace Center on Tuesday, 20 September 2022, said the committee is “to help coordinate, organize and arrange” the 3rd edition of the Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Football Tournament.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Mulade who unveiled the committee said that the members are composed of six Itsekiris and six Ijaws, with the other three members drawn from outside the two ethnic nationalities.
Chairing the committee is Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha, who is also the Chairman of the Delta State Football Association (DFA), while the secretary and public relations officer positions are occupied by Commodore Kingdom Itoko (rtd), who is also the Sports Director at the Federal Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko; and Mr. Matthew Itsekure, respectively.
Other members are: Mr. Victor Tonlagha (Director, Finance); Mrs. Omoboye Abosade (Director, Welfare); the Deputy Director, Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) and Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Delta State Chapter, Mr. Azuka Chiemeka (Director, Media); the youth president of Ogbinbiri community in Egbema Kingdom, Amb. Ojowuru City (Director of Mobilization); the leader of the Legislative Arm in Warri South-West, Rt. Hon. Raymond Pirah (Director of Security).
Dr. Jeffrey Wilikie (Asst. Director of Finance); Mr. Philemon Ugedi (Asst. Director of Security); Mr. Bright Tortor (Director of Mobilization, Benikrukru); the the SSA to the Governor on Political Matters, Hon. Aboyewa Ikpotor (Director of Transport / Logistic); Hon. Bethus Ometan (Asst. Director of Transport / Logistic); the youth president of Ugborodo Federated community, Mr. Wilson Ejeh (Director of Mobilization, Ugborodo); and Hon. Paul Kirifede (Organising Secretary).
According Chief Mulade who is also the Ibe Sorimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, the competition which is aimed at uniting both the Ijaws and the Itsekiris as well as to foster peace in the Warri South-West area of the State could not hold last year because of the demise of his mother..
On this year’s tournament he stated that the date of commencement of the 3rd edition which is the 16th of November 2022 is to practically demonstrate the need for tolerance which is the SDG’s Goal 16 of Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions which otherwise “is known as the International Day of Tolerance; so we need to tolerate and accommodate each other.”
The chairman of the committee, Hon. Nwaomucha, responding on behalf of other members, thanked the CEPEJ National Coordinator for the privilege given them to serve just as he urged everyone to put in their best so that they can collectively surpass the previous record set during the 2nd edition of the tournament.
The 3rd edition of the Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Football Tournament 2022 is billed to hold for two weeks and three days, beginning from Wednesday, 16 November 2022 and closing on Saturday, 3 December 2022, with the venues being Ugborodo community in the Itsekiri axis, and Benikrukru community in the Ijaw axis.
