TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW OF THE BAYELSA GOVERNOR'S FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT; A PLATFORM FOR GREATNESS

TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW OF THE BAYELSA GOVERNOR'S FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT; A PLATFORM FOR GREATNESS 

After weeks of fascinating football in 26 centres across the 8 LGAs of the state in Nigeria's biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor's Football Tournament christened the Prosperity Cup, the men have been separated from the boys.

The tournament, which is the brainchild of the former governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, was conceived in 2014 but started in 2015, then called Restoration Cup.

'The Prosperity Cup', by which it is now known, was named by the former Minister of Sports, Chief Sunday Akin Dare, as Nigeria's largest grassroots football tournament.

Governor Douye Diri in February performed the symbolic kick-off to herald this year’s edition that has been marked as the best edition of the tournament so far, with 231 teams.

Gov Diri in his remarks, urged the various participating teams to abide by the rules and regulations of the tournament.

According to the state's helmsman, Bayelsa has taken sports as a major tool to take the youths away from drugs, criminality and other social vices, and he is pleased with the success story recorded so far in the tournament.

The preliminary round of the tournament got off to a flying start in Sangana, off the coast of the Atlantic ocean in Brass as Sangana FC humbled Blue Strikers FC two nil, with the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere taking the ceremonial kick-off.

Bayelsa Governor's Football Tournament tagged the Prosperity Cup season seven had 26 centres across the eight local government areas in the state with 231 teams jostling for the Fifty Million Naira (50,000,000.00) prize money.

Yenagoa Local Government had the highest number of registered teams, 93 in all, playing in seven different venues. Brass Local Government Area has 19 teams spread across two centres namely Sangana and Twon Brass, while Nembe LGA had seven teams in one centre. 

Ekeremor LGA registered 20 teams and were in  three different centres, neighbours Sagbama LGA came into the showpiece with 16 teams and three venues was set aside for them, while Kolokuma/Opokuma registered 12 teams that were shared in two different playing venues.

Southern Ijaw LGA, the local government that produced the defending champions, Ogboinbiri FC came into season seven of the tournament with 27 teams seeking glory in three centres, Oporoma, Olugbobiri and NDU Amassoma centres.

Ogbia LGA produced the second highest number of teams that participated in the competition after Yenagoa, with 37 teams, and were shared in four different centres, Otuasega, Imiringi, Otuokpoti and Otuabagi centre.

A total of 224 matches, spread across 26 centres were played in the preliminary rounds of the tournament. In the same vein, a total of 537 goals were scored in the preliminary rounds, averaging 2.4 goals per game while PNA FC scored 20 goals and conceding just one in eight games prior to their exit.

After the preliminary round of the tournament, the showpiece witnessed an electrifying atmosphere with the local government finals. In Southern Ijaw LGA, Professor Nimibofa Ayawei, PNA FC of Koluama defeated Oyoma FC of Oyoma one nil to lift the trophy.

In Ogbia LGA, Citiboi FC of Imiringi dethroned Movers FC of Otuasega 5-3 on penalties after a barren draw in regulation time at the Imiringi Township Stadium.

Adaka FC of Kaiama humbled Sampou FC of Sampou by three goals to one to emerge champions of Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA with Timitimi Seidougha scoring a hat-trick while Agbere FC of Agbere clinched the Sagbama LGA Champions trophy with a win over Indomitable Lions FC of Sagbama. 

Nembe City FC of Ogbolomabiri were crowned the Nembe LGA champions with a commanding four nil victory over Okoroba FC to clinch the Nembe Local Government championship. Former champions, Crusaders FC of Peretorugbene pipped Youbolobo FC of Agge one nil to retain their crown as Ekeremor champions.

Eternal Grace Ministry, EGM FC triumphed by two goals to one against Bayelsa United Feeders to emerge winners of Yenagoa LGA Championship. 

Thereafter, hostilities returned to the round of 32 as the journey for glory got interesting. The round of 32 matches produced a total of 46 goals in 16 games averaging 2.9 goals per game, surpassing last year's record of 2.4 per game.

Like the saying goes "when the going gets tough, the tough gets going", the quarter-finals witnessed five goals but the fans and spectators were pleased with the quality of football displayed by the quarter-finalists.

In the semi-finals, Bayelsa United Feeders FC lost 5-4 on penalties to Advance Dreams Football Academy after a tough and intense goalless draw at regulation time, while former champions, Crusaders FC also bowed to the 2022 champions, Eternal Grace Ministry, EGM FC 5-4 on penalties after a barren draw.

The finals will see Eternal Grace Ministry, EGM FC, tackle Advance Dream Football Academy, while Crusaders FC battles last year's third best team, Bayelsa United Feeders for third place.

About 110 teams including communities, football academies, religious bodies and tertiary institutions, participated in the first edition which saw Ewo-ama FC of Brass winning the competition that produced Okardi Inikurogha who helped Bayelsa United to win the Aiteo Cup in 2021 in Benin City, Edo State.

In the second edition in 2017, about a hundred and fifty teams took part. Peretorugbene FC of Ekeremor in 2018 emerged champions of the tournament under the watch of Meinkeme Fekete. In this edition, Bayelsa United captain, Gabriel Biriduba, Tarabina Bweribo and Emo James were spotted.

These players formed the Restoration Starlets that was managed by coach Diepreye Teibowei that finished third at the African Youth Championship in Cape Verde. They later went on to win the Bayelsa State League in 2019.

In 2019/2020,  Okolobiri FC won the tournament's third edition. In the final that had the then Sports Minister, Sunday Dare in attendance, Junior Christopher stole the show by emerging the highest goalscorer of the competition. About a hundred and Sixty teams participated in the 2018/2019 edition of the tournament.

The tournament returned in 2022 after the  COVID-19 pandemic that ravaged the world, with Eternal Grace Ministry, EGM FC clinching the trophy by beating Odioma FC of Brass LGA by three goals to one at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa. A total of 210 community-based teams participated in the 2022 edition.

In 2023, Crusaders FC of Ekeremor claimed the title by defeating De Grace FC of Yenagoa 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time at the Samson Siasia Stadium.

However, a new champion was crowned in 2024 as Ogboinbiri FC of Southern Ijaw edged out Nembe City by three goals to one in a  colourful final watched by the Crème de la crème of Nigerian football.

As the clock ticks towards the grand finale only time will tell what team will emerge as the champions of the 7th edition of Nigeria's biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Prosperity Cup.

Meanwhile, it is worthy of note, how the Bayelsa Governor's Football Tournament has continued to be the bedrock of many grassroots players in Bayelsa in the last seven years of the tournament's existence.

The Prosperity Cup has given many players the platform to showcase their talents with some plying their trade in the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL and foreign clubs.

The latest player to enjoy the Prosperity Cup benevolence is Precious Benjamin. Benjamin was discovered from the season five of the tournament after dazzling for Dream Football Academy now called Advance Dreams FA.

Precious was an attacking sensation during the tournament and he became the toast of fans and scouts in the SPOCS scouting programme at Remo, Ogun State and in the 3rd Douye Diri International Scouting Tournament in Yenagoa, thereafter he moved to the Gambian league, where he put up a brilliant performance before joining German Bundesliga side, TSG Hoffenheim after a brief stint in Gambia.

Okardi Inikurogha in the maiden edition in 2015 won the tournament with Ewo-ama FC Brass LGA and emerged Most Valuable Player of the competition, Okardi was signed by Bayelsa United where he helped the team win the Aiteo Cup in 2021 in Benin City, Edo State, before being snapped up by second division French side, Grenoble B FC.

Robert Mizo featured in the inaugural edition in 2015 where he announced himself as a goal king. He signed for Bayelsa United two years later, then moved to Al Hilal Benghazi of Libya and currently plays for Al-Waab Sporting Club of Qatar.

Bayelsa United captain, Gabriel Biriduba, Tarabina Bweribo and Emo James were signed by Bayelsa United in 2017 after winning the competition for Peretorugbene FC of Ekeremor LGA.

Current NPFL champion, Remo Stars of Ikenne also has a Prosperity Cup product in their team. Oyowa Alex featured in the 2018 and 2019 editions with the Okordia team where he showcased his skills, and got snapped up by Bayelsa United. He moved to Rivers United in 2022/2023 season, before signing for Remo Stars where he just won the league.

Last year, Rivers United secured the services of Handsome Surveyor from Crusaders FC of Peretorugbene during the Governor Douye Diri pre-season tournament in Yenagoa. 

Endurance Ebedebiri, Saro Loveday, Ayiba Edwin, Akpos Godbless, Junior Christopher, Akpokabowei Fuluwa popularly known as Solohit, and John Bassey have all featured for Bayelsa United, and are currently in other clubs across the country.

Other players are Joel Izibevie Nestor who is currently in Bosnia, Prince Ebiowei who had a brief stint with a Latvian club, and Ogar Saviour who featured for a Moroccan side.

The Prosperity Cup has over the years metamorphosed from being just a football competition to a solid institution of learning, gathering knowledge and sharpening skills.

The competition birthed the female version in 2023 and will have its third edition this year with Afini Ladies facing Ezuogha Academy in the finals. Also birthed was the physically-challenged version which has been held for two successive years.

In order to equip Referees officiating in the competition the organizers held a refresher course where FIFA Instructors were in Yenagoa to equip the referees with modern and updated knowledge in officiating the game.

The Prosperity Cup organisers also put together a coaching clinic for all grassroots football coaches in the state, to broaden their knowledge with modern coaching techniques so as to improve the standard of the competition with the Head of the Technical Department of the Nigerian Football Federation, Austin Eguavoen on ground to tutor the coaches.

As earlier stated, the competition has created opportunities for players to seek their career path through scouting programmes. In the 2022 edition, the first scouting programme led by Chief Executive Officer, Supreme Sports International, Mr. Vincent Onyema, was held. The other officials included Chief Executive Officer, Aspire Sports France, Mr. Gregory Paul, Mr. Passi Gerald of Olympique Marseille FC of France, International Scout of Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa Mr. Thembela Lesly, Head Coach and Newcastle Jets Coach of Australia, Mr. Hussein Skenderovic.

The second edition of the scouting programme was led by renowned FIFA agent, Ojo Paul Omamomo. Other officials included Nikita Poliakov, Dmitrii Churkin from FDC Vista Academy in Europe, as well as national coach Kennedy Boboye and ex-international, Joseph Eyimofe.  

In all, six scouting programnes have been held in the state, all geared towards finding a bigger playing career for the young players.

Ahead of the Nigerian Professional Football League 2024/2025 season, the Prosperity Cup organisers held the first pre-season tournament. Eight teams namely Abia Warriors, Akwa United, Bayelsa United, Bendel Insurance, Kwara United, Rivers United, Sunshine Stars, and a team comprising selected players from last year's edition, named Crusaders FC, took part. 

Bayelsa United won the pre-season tournament which helped to shaped their performance in the just-concluded NPFL season with great expectations for the next session.

"The Bayelsa Governor's Football Tournament has emerged as a premier platform for talent identification and development, garnering international recognition with invitations from esteemed tournaments such as the Norway Cup, Iber Cup, and Dana Cup. Our vision is to scout and nurture young talents, providing them with opportunities for global exposure and lucrative football careers. The tournament has evolved into a thriving ecosystem, profoundly impacting the football landscape in Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta, and Nigeria as a whole. By fostering the growth of footballers, coaches, referees, and administrators, we are shaping the future of Nigerian football."