By Ikemefuna Asika, Awka
Governor Chukwuma Soludo is in full support of the ongoing Traders Sports competition and will gracefully attend the finals which is billed to take place at Awka Township Stadium on November 26, 2023.
Chief Evarist Uba, Special Adviser on Trade and Markets to Soludo said this during the draws for the State finals stage of the competition in Awka.
The competition featuring Football, Tennis, Table Tennis, Draught and Ncho commenced on Oct.18 with about 90 markets taking part in the zonal eliminations in eight designated centres across the State.
Uba said the traders competition was fully supported by the governor as part of his agenda to foster interactivity, social harmony and better well being in the state.
He commended the Anambra Sports Development Commission and Anambra State Amalgamated Market Traders Association (ASMATA) for the level of organisational finesse they had exhibited so far.
He urged the participating teams to play by the rules.
“I encourage you to work had for your victory in the competition, Mr Governor is aware of it, indeed he will be at the stadium on the closing ceremony with members of his cabinet to see the finals.
“This competition is another opportunity for our people in the markets to benefit from the robust sports development agenda of Mr Governor,” he said.
In his remark, Chief Humphrey Anuna, President General of ASMATA commended the teams that made it from the zones but urged the market leaders to show more commitment by creating awareness and mobilising their members.
Anuna, who described the rewards for winners as huge, frowned at cases of walkover recorded at the preliminaries. He charged those that qualified for the final stage to give each other a run for their money.
Patrick-Estate Onyedum, Chairman of Sports Commission thanked Soludo for supporting the competition adding that it had progressed very well.
Onyedum, represented by Faith Okwonna, a Director in the Commission said raffle draws would be held on the final day where various prizes including shuttle bus, generator, television and fans will be carted away.
He urged the state finalists to take their fixtures seriously and reminded them that the total prize money for the competition was N10 million.
In the football draws, Group A, Odera Market Awka will play with Iron Dealers Market, Atani in the first Group A game on Nov 4 while the second match will see Nkwo Umunze Market square up against Odera Market on Nov 8.
The third Group A match will be between Iron Dealers Market Atani and Nkwo Umunze market at the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium Nov. 11.
Group B matches scheduled for Godwin Achebe Stadium, Fegge,, Ajasa Market Onitsha will tackle Old Motor Parts Obosi on Nov. 4 while New Motor Parts Nnewi and Ajase Market Onitsha will face each other on Nov. 8. Old Motor Parts Obosi will engage New Motor Parts Nnewi on Nov. 11 to decide semi finalists from the group.
In the Draught event scheduled for Nov. 23, Uchenna Ezenwafor of Etewa Market Ekwulobia will play with Ifeanyi Osunwa of Arthur Eze Building Market, Awka
Raphael Okoye of Plastic Market Ogbunike will take on Ezeugwu Chukwujekwu of Bida Market, Onitsha in the game scheduled for Amawbia Sports Club.
In Table Tennis, Okafor Ikenna of Eke Amawbia will play Okoli Nnaemeka of Nkwo Umunze while Ndudi Ifinwa AMSPDA, Nnewi and Olie Onochie of New Tyre Nkpor will fight for a place in the final.
In the Tennis event, Obidike Emeka of Odera Market Awka will step to the courts against Ezeobi Oliver of Etewa market, Ekwulobia.
In the second game, Fidelis Anierobi AMSPDA Nnewi will play with Kenechukwu Sixtus of Building Materials, Ogbunike on Nov.23.
Ncho or Ayo event will be between Okoye Emeka of Eke Amawbia and Ibegwa Micheal of New Motor Spare ho Obosi while Arinze Nwafor of Odekpe Market will play with Nzekwa Esther of Nkwo Umunze on Nov. 25.
