I choose to develop my constituents in sports — Pilaku
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
The initiator and sponsor of the Pilaku Football Tournament, Mr. John Pilaku has disclosed that he is a Chartered Accountant by Profession based in Abuja but have chosen to develop the youths of his constituency in sports.
Mr. Pilaku made the disclosure while fielding questions from Nigerian NewsDirect during the finals of the Pilaku Football Tournament between Ikpa Football Club and Tie United at LGEA Primary School Ikpa Mbatierev, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
The sponsor of the tournament explained that the essence of the tournament was to unify, develop the youths, take them off idleness and above all give them a sense of belonging.
He urged the well to do sons and daughters of Mbatierev with like minds in their respective capacities to see the need to sponsor similar tournament in their constituency for the over all good of the youths and the constituency at large.
Mr. Pilaku described the resuscitation of sports in Benue State as pronounced by the Deputy Governor Barrister Sam Ode mni on behalf of the Governor as a welcome development and urged the State Government to ensure that the sports resuscitation promise come to pass.
The sponsor also assured that the tournament will be held annually in his constituency.
The Priest in charge, St. Leo the Great Parish Ikpa – Mbatierev, and the supporter of the tournament, Rev. Fr. Akosu Julius, elugised the initiator and sponsor of the tournament, described the tournament sponsorship as uncommon feat that he will be remembered for by the people of his constituents and urged him to maintain the tempo.
On his part, Rev. Fr. Demian Anchoon, Associate Priest, St. Anthony Rectory, expressed delight for the uncommon opportunity provided to Mbatierev youths by the sponsor and charged other Mbatierev son’s and daughter’s to emulate him.
Fr. Demian tasked the participating youths not to take the opportunity accorded to them by their son for granted but take it serious with the hope as enshrined in a Tiv slogan “ Ava doo keng” literally translation it must be good.
Managing Director, Flight Transport Company limited and the Flight Academy, Comrade Akor Andiir, described the tournament as a welcome development, added that the tournament will go a long way in discovering talents.
He also threw his support behind the Governor’s pronouncement of sports resuscification in the state and promised to contribute his quota to the development of sports in the state.
Earlier, His Royal Highness, Chief Jirkyaa Terkimbi , who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers, thanked the sponsor of the tournament for developing and unifying the youths through sports in his constituency.
He charged the participating youths to take the opportunity serious and make judicious use of the experience so that they will be leaders of tomorrow.
Reacting to the tournament, Chairman of the tournament, Jack Gbende; James Nwajagu, a Management staff of Ikpa Football Club and Chief Samuel Agbe, described the sponsor of the tournament as a wonderful son of the soil who has the plight of his people at heart and prayed God to bless him abundantly in all his endeavors.
They advised the participating youth’s to reciprocate the uncommon gesture exhibited by the sponsor by being good ambassadors of the tournament at all times.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that the finals of the tournament was played between Tie United Football and Ikpa Football Clubs all in Mbatierev.
Ikpa FC, scored two goals in the first half against 0 to Tie United F.C while in the second half Tie FC equalized the two goals and the tournament ended up in a penalty shoot, as Tie United Football Club emerged winner of the tournament with two goals.
