Stakeholders have urged the governments to revisit grassroots football matches to foster social cohesion and promote peacebuilding in crisis-affected communities in the Northeastregion.
Afiniki Mangzha, Integrated Women, Youth and Child Foundation (IWAYEC Foundation), made this appeal while speaking at the events organised with the theme “a peace and unity football match”, the final match of the Inter-community Football Tournament held in Maiduguri.
She said the initiative is aimed at bringing football lovers together from six communities of the Maiduguri region following years of conflict in the region.
Afiniki said that the football match has enhanced togetherness and social cohesion in the communities, including Manduganari, Maiduguri, Polo, Lamisula, Ngomari, and Kumahe in Jere and Maiduguri Metropolitan Councils, respectively.
She said, “We are gathered here today to play a peace football match, which is the inter-community tournament. This is one of the activities to promote peacebuilding in our project, which is funded by UNDP, the Lake Chad Basin Commission, and the Peacebuilding Fund.
According to her, basically, this is to promote peace in our community and social cohesion in Borno State. They have been playing this game for the past two weeks, and today is the final, and as you can see, Ngomari and Polo slug it out.
“Interestingly, this football match has brought together six communities. We feel that football is a unifying factor in the country because it brings people together irrespective of their race, tribe, and religion.
“So we are glad to bring people together through a football match. In fact, it is not all about the men cheering their player but rather about those women who came all the way from their communities to this place to support their youths. I think this is a good and landmark achievement for us,” she said.
Also, Timothy Azaki, Women in New Nigeria (WINN), maintained that the project leans on the unifying power of football to create positive change, foster living together, and build stronger communities.
He said, “As the game commenced, players from both sides displayed remarkable skill and sportsmanship, treating spectators to an exciting display of teamwork and determination while strictly adhering to principles of mutual respect.
“I believe if we can revamp the grassroots sport, this will help build a society devoid of crisis. This initiative has once again demonstrated that we can live together in peace and harmony regardless of our differences.” Timothy pointed out.Yusuf Mustapha Mohammed, Director of Youth Empowerment at the State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Poverty Alleviation, thanked the organisers of the events and assured that Zulum’s administration is ready to ensure grassroots football matches come back in the state.
Yusuf Mustapha Mohammed, Director of Youth Empowerment at the State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Poverty Alleviation, thanked the organisers of the events and assured that Zulum’s administration is ready to ensure grassroots football matches come back in the state.
He noted that the match ended with Ngomari FC winning through a penalty shootout 5 goals to 4 against Polo FC, but the true victory was the palpable sense of camaraderie that emerged as players exchanged jerseys and community members lingered afterwards, discussing how such initiatives could foster lasting peace in the region.
The participants attested to the fact that since the rise of insecurity in the community, there has not been such a communal event for years.
One football player, Bakura Modu, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to bring people together once again, saying that without intervention from PBF-UNDP, the event would not have been possible.
Abdul Yaro, another footballer involved in the peace and unity match, agreed, saying, “I really appreciate the organisers for how this match strengthened the bond of unity amongst our people who are from different ethnoreligious groups.
” He was impressed and appreciative to see the sportsmanship between the opposing teams and said he was excited to participate in future sports events to promote peace.
The Inter-community Football Tournament was funded and supported by UNDP, PBF, and LCBC and jointly implemented by IWAYEC and WINN.
One football player, Bakura Modu, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to bring people together once again, saying that without intervention from PBF-UNDP and LCBC, the event would not have been possible.
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