FEATURE ARTICLE

Friday, March 29, 2019
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CHANGING THE NARRATIVE OF NTIGHAUZO UNITY CUP

t has a become a ritual towards the end of every year for citizens of Ntighauzo community in Obingwa local government of Abia State to gather at Ntighauzo South Community Primary School to treat their eyes with artistic soccer displays from teams of the ten villages constituting the community.

Spectators at the event cut across all ages: the aged men and women, youths and children. The event also draws members of the community, even the neighbouring communities, from all walks of life. Those in diaspora are not spared in the excitement as they have made it annual obligation to travel from their locations abroad to witness this great event, and even sponsor them.

The 2019 edition of the event, which is coming up later in the year, has every potentials to be spectacular, not because that the event is going to mark its 31st anniversary, but because the narrative of the soccer fiesta is going to change from an annual ritual where members of the community come to feast their eyes with soccer artistry to an event where the abundant soccer talents in the community are going to be hunted by scouts.

The sponsors of the competition- United States- based Nwachukwus: Udo, Nwaeze and Okechukwu Nwachukwu- are making no pretences about it.They mean every word of their promise and have started walking their talk.

They have hit the ground running by donating training materials such as sets of beeps, footballs, among others to the training centres located within the community.

The essence of this gesture is to generate, according to them, enough awareness and publicity for the competition. Other things being equal, and if all projections come true, this year's edition will witness a huge presence of football scouts who will be hunting for talents.

Also, activities surrounding the preparations of the competition, and the competition proper will be widely publicised.This year's edition also promises some special features that have not featured in the competition before now.

The philosophy surrounding this gesture by the Nwachukwus is driven by "giving back to the society". In their words:" If the energies of the youths are judiciously engaged, it will go a long way in reducing crime in the society".

Their gesture are received with open hands by the members of the community. This is because of their antecedent. The Nwachukwus are synonymous with philanthropic gestures to their people. They electrified their part of the community by donating KVA transformer and cables.

Indeed, Ntighauzo Unity Cup deserves to be elevated because it has come a long way and has produced great soccer talents. Nigerian international, Peter Onyekachi, a nephew to the sponsors, who plies his trade with one of the front line Israeli club sides,is a product of the league.

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