Caster Diva FC Obosi Inland Town wins maiden Ito-Ogbo Obosi Football Competition
.Use Sports to Engage Youths Off Crime and Social Vices say Stakeholders
By Uzo Ugwunze
The prestigious Ito-Ogbo Obosi festival reached its climax as Caster Diva Football club Inland town defeated Odume Obosi Urban football club 1 – 0 to lift the maiden Ito-Ogbo Football competition trophy on Monday.
Speaking at the Afor-Adike Stadium Obosi, Idemili North LGA, Anambra State, the Obosi Development Union President General, Barrister Chimezie Obi who described Ito-Ogbo festival as the biggest event celebrate by his community said that sports can be used to engage youths as a means of livelihood.
“This year we decided to add carnival, Beauty pageant and Sports to spice up the Ito-Ogbo/Octogenarians mass birthday/festival of longevity.
“Today, we played the finals which saw Caster Diva FC Obosi Inland Town win the football competition trophy.
“Youths should stay crime free, look for something useful you can engage yourself in. If you can play football,do it well, there are people who can sponsor you even to Europe,” Obi said.
According to the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Hyman Udemba(Akamposi Obosi), the youths should be engaged with sports. Sports is the easiest way to engage youths.
“I urge both individuals, institutions and Government to invest more in different kinds of sports. Youths who are not academically endowed should learn a craft, trade or go into sports,”Chief Udemba said
A Stakeholder for Peace in Obosi Community, Sir Lubra Okechukwu Ogbazi(Ezeakibeya Ugeju) described sports as a unifier and a strategy to remove the minds of youths from crime and criminality.
“Igwe Dubem Iweka of Obosi said we should engage our youths meaningfully and remove them from the streets. Sports is a unifier, both the winners and losers enjoyed the games.
“We can also pick the talented ones and help them go far in the game of football.
Everyone will not be an academic, those talented in sports can succeed in life with sports.
“During December Yuletide we held inter-village football competition sponsored by the Obosi indigenes living at United Kingdom and the ito-ogbo committee borrowed a leaf from that,” Ezeakibeya said.
Moreover, Chairman Obosi Youth, Comrade Tochukwu Obienu (Mbaaburodike) rated the 2024 Ito-Ogbo by Ofoka Age grade as the best in recent times saying that it was peaceful, colourful, full of entertainment, without killings and violence.
“I give kudos to the organizers of Ofoka age group ito-ogbo. Sporting events and Mmanwu/masquerade carnival has never taken place before during ito-ogbo period.
“We are enjoying Obosi community at its fullest in a peaceful atmosphere. For the past 13 years Obosi people could not come together and enjoy football like today’s final in this field without fear of violence erupting.
“I am very happy that it was during my tenure as the youth leader that the major reconciliation between Igwe Chidubem Iweka and his brother, Mayor Omezie Chukwurah which brought about the calmness Obosi community is enjoying today happened.
“I also thank people like Sir Lubra, Ogbazi, Ifeanyi Okenwa, Ogbuaku among others who helped us to contribute to the peace enjoyed in Obosi today without hassles nor violence. Long Live Obosi Ukwala kingdom,” Obienu said.
However, the duo of CEO, Caster Diva Hotels, Sunny Epuna and the Caster Diva FC skipper,Aloma Arinze expressed their joy for eventually winning the football competition after the marathon and tedious football matches.
“It has been a marathon exercise but be we are so happy that the best team won the tournament. Actually,Obosi has been portrayed in bad light outside the community but this competition brought together old, middle aged and young together to have fun without fear or violence,” Epuna said.
