A media entrepreneur and politician, Mrs Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi has advocated for sports to be used to foster national unity.
She made this known while speaking at the press briefing yesterday, ahead of Saturday’s grand finale of the tournament aimed at engaging the youth meaningfully and unearthing football talents from the six area councils of FCT.
The former All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial aspirant for FCT stated that the football competition, which included six local councils from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was intended to create togetherness and identify grassroots talent for national teams.
“This initiative, the Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi sports competition is an expression of premium sports for unity and indeed propelling our Nigerian youth through grassroots representation in the six area councils of the FCT,” she noted.
She further said a total of 80 teams, made up of 1200 players partaken in the 21-day grassroots football tourney from preliminary round to the quarterfinals, semifinals and grand finale slated for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)’s Director of Sports Development, Mr Luka Istifanus, has said the players that will be discovered from the competition will represent FCT at the Gateway 2024 National Sports Festival in Ogun State.
“I’m happy that the women have come of age challenging men in organising viable programmes that will empower the youth. This programme is being watched globally and our football coaches were mandated to scout talents that will represent FCT at the next year’s National Sports Festival in Ogun State,” Istifanus said.
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