By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District, Sen Neda Imasuen has unveiled a football tournament to discover young talents in the Edo South Senatorial District which is called the Benin Unity Cup.

The Organizing Committee unveiled the tournament in Benin City which attracted stakeholders in the state’s sports sector, including senior officials of the Edo State Sports Commission and executives of the Edo Football Association (Edo FA).

Speaking, Imasuen said the Benin Unity Cup was conceived to empower young people through sports by taking them off the streets and giving them a structured platform to showcase their abilities.

“We will ensure that international scouts are on ground to identify these talents. Our goal is to help them realise their potential and develop their skills to international standards.

“There was a time when in any sporting event in Nigeria, the then Bendel State was always the first, other states settle for the other positions even before the completion would start, Bendel is no Edo and Delta state but today, Delta seems to have taken that first position, we need to make sure that Edo gets to that very top” Imasuen said.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission (ESSC), Hon. Desmond Enabulele, expressed delight at the unveiling and commended Senator Imasuen for what he described as “a laudable initiative that aligns with the state’s vision for sports development.

“We applaud this initiative because our primary objective as a Commission is to identify and nurture young talents in line with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s sports development plan,” Enabulele stated.

The draw ceremony, conducted by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Charity Amanyaevbo, grouped Ovia North East, Ikpoba-Okha, Egor, and Uhunmwode in Group A, while Oredo 1, Ovia South West, Orhionmwon, and Oredo 2 were placed in Group B.

In his goodwill message, the Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, lauded Senator Imasuen for the initiative, describing the unveiling as “unique and inspiring” and disclosed that the NIS will soon establish zonal centres across the six geopolitical zones and later the states of Nigeria to further drive grassroots sports development.

The tournament would kick off on November 20 and climax on December 20, 2025. Each participating team will receive a full set of jerseys for 22 players.

The champion of the Benin Unity Cup will receive ₦1 million, the runner-up ₦700,000, the third-placed team ₦500,000, and the fourth-placed ₦300,000.

With its focus on grassroots talent and youth empowerment, the Benin Unity Cup is poised to become a key platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of football stars from Edo State.