A local organizing committee has been set up for the Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Football Tournament, which aims to promote peaceful coexistence among various ethnic groups in Delta State. The committee, consisting of 10 members, was inaugurated on August 22, 2024, by Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade, a Niger Delta activist and National Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ).
The football tournament is scheduled to start on November 16, 2024, in Ode Itsekiri. It will be one of the activities to mark the United Nations International Day of Tolerance on December 7, 2024. This year’s tournament, the fourth of its kind, has been expanded to include four ethnic groups: Itsekiri, Ijaw, Isoko, and Urhobo, unlike previous editions that only involved the Itsekiri and Ijaw groups.
Chief Mulade emphasized that the expansion of the tournament is part of CEPEJ’s efforts to foster unity and peace among the people of Delta State, particularly in the Delta Central and Delta South Senatorial Districts. He stated, “This program is our contribution to promoting peaceful coexistence among the people of Delta State.”
The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, is expected to kick off the tournament as the Royal Father of the Day. The winning team will receive a prize of N2 million, with the runners-up receiving N1.5 million, third place N1 million, and fourth place N500,000, bringing the total prize pool to N5 million.
Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha, the Chairman of Delta State Sports Association, was appointed as the chairman of the organizing committee and praised Chief Mulade for his continued efforts to promote peace through sports. He urged the committee members to work hard to ensure the success of the tournament. Additionally, Dr. Godwin Orhadahwe, Chairman of CEPEJ’s Board of Trustees, called on the media to provide extensive coverage of the event to raise awareness and encourage participation.
