By Jonathan Ugbal
The Ibiaragidi ward football team Sunday, in Bekwarra local government area of northern Cross River emerged winners of the maiden edition of the Akwaji Henry football tournament.
The Ibiaragidi team pipped the Gakem boys to the gold medal and NGN100,000 cash prize while the Gakem boys went home with the silver medal and NGN70,000.
The finals was played at the St. Augustine primary school stadium in Ukpa, hometown of Mr. Akwaji who was applauded after kicking off the finals.
The Ugborro team outplayed the Betem team for the bronze medal in the third place game and carted home a cash prize of NGN50,000.
Individual honors went to the best coach which was awarded to the Betem team gaffer who went home with NGN10,000.
The Most Valuable Player and highest goal scorer got NGN5,000 cash prizes.
Reacting to the success of the tournament, Mr. Akwaji took to Facebook and gave reasons for organizing the tourney.
“I said it and I will say it again; if politics cannot keep us together, patriotism must take its place.
“I love humanity, I love Bekwarra Nation and I love Nigeria.
“We must continue to show kindness in our like ways with the slightest opportunity we get, remembering always that, it is because someone else must smile that we are created.
“The rich are meant for the poor and the poor for the rich,” Mr. Akwaji wrote and commended the organizing team and: “many others who contributed one way or the other to making the competition a success, and a huge one too. God bless you massive even as we look forward to doing it bigger.”
The graduate of law from the University of Calabar ran for the House of Assembly position to represent Bekwarra on the platform of the All Progressives Congress which he lost out to the incumbent, Mr. Idagu Agaji of the Peoples Democratic Party.
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