By Uzo Ugwunze
The prestigious Ito-Ogbo Obosi festival reached its climax as Caster Diva Football Club from Inland town defeated Odume Obosi Urban Football Club 1 - 0 to lift the maiden Ito-Ogbo Football Competition trophy on Monday.
Speaking at the Afor-Adike
Stadium in Obosi, Idemili North LGA, Anambra State, the President-General of
Obosi Development Union, Barrister Chimezie Obi, who described the Ito-Ogbo
festival as the biggest event celebrated by his community, said that sports could
be used to engage youths as a means of livelihood.
"This year, we decided to
add a carnival, beauty pageant, and sports to spice up the
Ito-Ogbo/Octogenarians' mass birthday/festival of longevity.
"Today, we played the
finals, which saw Caster Diva FC from Obosi Inland Town win the football
competition trophy.
"Youths should stay
crime-free, look for something useful you can engage yourself in. If you can
play football, do it well; there are people who can sponsor you even to
Europe," Obi said.
According to the Chairman of
the occasion, Chief Hyman Udemba (Akamposi Obosi), the youths should be engaged
in sports. Sports is the easiest way to engage youths.
"I urge both individuals,
institutions, and the government to invest more in different kinds of sports.
Youths who are not academically endowed should learn a craft, trade, or go into
sports," Chief Udemba said.
A Stakeholder for Peace in
Obosi Community, Sir Lubra Okechukwu Ogbazi (Ezeakibeya Ugeju), described
sports as a unifier and a strategy to divert the minds of youths from crime and
criminality.
"Igwe Dubem Iweka of Obosi
said we should engage our youths meaningfully and remove them from the streets.
Sports is a unifier; both the winners and losers enjoyed the games.
"We can also pick the talented ones and help them go far in the game of football. Everyone will not be an academic; those talented in sports can succeed in life with sports.
"During December Yuletide,
we held an inter-village football competition sponsored by the Obosi indigenes
living in the United Kingdom, and the Ito-Ogbo committee borrowed a leaf from
that," Ezeakibeya said.
Moreover, Chairman of Obosi
Youth, Comrade Tochukwu Obienu (Mbaaburodike), rated the 2024 Ito-Ogbo by Ofoka
Age Grade as the best in recent times, saying that it was peaceful, colorful,
full of entertainment, without killings and violence.
"I give kudos to the
organizers of Ofoka Age Group Ito-Ogbo. Sporting events and Mmanwu/masquerade
carnival have never taken place before during the Ito-Ogbo period.
"We are enjoying Obosi
community at its fullest in a peaceful atmosphere. For the past 13 years, Obosi
people could not come together and enjoy football like today's final on this
field without fear of violence erupting.
"I am very happy that it
was during my tenure as the youth leader that the major reconciliation between
Igwe Chidubem Iweka and his brother, Mayor Omezie Chukwurah, which brought
about the calmness Obosi community is enjoying today, happened.
"I also thank people like
Sir Lubra Ogbazi, Ifeanyi Okenwa, Ogbuaku, among others, who helped us to
contribute to the peace enjoyed in Obosi today without hassles or violence.
Long Live Obosi Ukwala Kingdom," Obienu said.
However, the duo of CEO of
Caster Diva Hotels, Sunny Epuna, and the Caster Diva FC skipper, Aloma Arinze,
expressed their joy for eventually winning the football competition after the
marathon and tedious football matches.
"It has been a marathon
exercise, but we are so happy that the best team won the tournament. Actually,
Obosi has been portrayed in a bad light outside the community, but this
competition brought together the old, middle-aged, and young together to have
fun without fear or violence," Epuna said.
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