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The Minister, Barrister Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, kicks the ball to mark the start of the finals.
By Francis Nansak
The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Barrister Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, has craved for unity, peace and disbursement of the dividend of the democracy amongst citizens of Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa West Senatorial District in Nasarawa State.
This was brought to the front burner on Thursday during the Barrister Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, ‘Unity Football match’ in Nasarawa local government area of Nasarawa State.
Youths from across the five local government areas comprising Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto, were engaged in a football competition, solely to curbing youth restiveness, drug abuses and other social vices that are inimical to societal development.
Barrister Abdullahi was the chief host of the football tournament.
The Minister presents the trophy to the winners of the Unity Football Match.
At the Grand finale, which took place in the football pitch of Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, the Minister revealed that the initiative was hinged on fishing out young talents among youths of the zone, vis-a-vis taking them off the street, resulting from unemployment and from drug abuses into a more productive means to becoming self-reliant therefore reducing youths restiveness.
According to him, “I became motivated and inspired to doing this as we are all witnesses in order to give our teeming youths a sense of belonging and to also make them feel the impact of the dividend of democracy.
“We all know that football from its aged long history ,has remain one of the sports that unite the people, it is in this light that I put up resources together from my earnings to ensure that our youths, especially of Nasarawa western zone are engaged, apart from that, this could serve as an avenue where some of the participants show case their talents, as it also offers big opportunity to them becoming super Star at national and international levels,” he said.
Also, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, represented by Mrs Oluwakemi Ariola, expressed profound happiness with the minister for coming up with an initiative geared towards youths development under one umbrella.
She added that sports is key to national driving national peace and unity in every society, just as it is also an economic empowerment to individuals.
Corroborating, Honourable Okpoku Okpoku of Udege/Loko State Constituency, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, said sports and especially football has always been a common ground to which people come together.
Stating further that sports which symbolizes enhancement of peace can never be overemphasized.
“This therefore the Honourable minister have demonstrated that he is a lover of peace,” Okpoku added.
In another contribution, the immediate past chairman of Karu Local Government Area and serving Special Adviser to the Nasarawa State governor on Urban Development, Honourable Samuel Gajere Akala, averred sports is key achieving peaceful coexistence and is essential in uniting the people, across religion, ethnics and even across backgrounds , especially the game of football.
Earlier, the Nasarawa local government council chairman, Honourable Sani Ottos, thanked the minister for deeming it fit to organised the football tournament.
He said the competition has further strengthen the existing unity among communities of Nasarawa West Senatorial District and especially those from rural areas of Nasarawa local government area.
Highlights of the occasion includes cultural display from different ethnic groups, presentation of medals to participants as well as cash donations while the winners of the tournament parted home with the championship trophy.
The event was attended by the APC Nasarawa West zone chairman, Architect Shehu Tukur representing the APC state chairman, members of the Nasarawa State House of assembly and local government chairmen among other top government officials.
