By Amuche Agbo
As the second stage of Izhi football league continues, it is worthy to note that Echiaba Development center has suffered a set back as Ebiya DC scored one goal to nothing in its home town.
The match took place at St. Patrick Catholic Church, kpirikpiri in Ebonyi local government area of the state.
Speaking shortly after the exercise, the coordinator of Ebiya DC Hon. Uchenna Nwamkpuma expressed gladness over the victory of his team, hinted that the competition is a talent hunt saying that it is a uniting factor among izhi people.
The Coordinator noted that exercise is based on merit and devoid of any political patronage as the best team would be accorded with the gifts meant for them accordingly. He called on the players to put in their best in order attain the set goals while admonishing every youth in Izhi clan to embrace the exercise in their own benefit.
Hon. Nwamkpuma challenged entire Izhi youths to shun engaging any acts capable of bridging peace and unity of the clan and expressed optimism that his team would emerged victory at the end of the exercise.
On his own part, the vice president, Izhi football association Dr. John Nkwuda thanked God for the smooth running of the exercise since it started.
According to him”the standard we are seeing the players now is quiet overwhelming, my message to the players is for them to do their best, those who won will carry the cup while those who lose will wait another time”
“I must said that our referees are doing their best in terms being fair to players” he said
Dr Nkwuda further commended the speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly Rt Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, who has given the clan opportunity to organized the team and prayed God to lift him to greater height.
However, he called other stakeholders and well spirited individuals of Izhi clan to rise to their responsibilities by emulating the philanthropic disposition of the speaker for continuity of the exercise once this first exercise elapsed.
He added “Really this exercise would go along way to unite entire Izhi people, visiting of various DC’s by the team players has yielded good result as brotherliness and friendships are already being established, that is why we hosted the match in their various development centers so that the unity of youths we are talking about will come to play.
Contributing, the match supervisor Mr. Felix Odionye described the exercise as very wonderful, said that the team has met with the international standard.
The supervisor who also doubled as chairman of referees, South East stated that the importance of sporting activities can not be overemphasized saying that the exercise would bring peace and unity in various homes and communities.
He added that unity and peace in an area is panacea for development adding that engagement of youths in the exercise has drastically reduced crimes while stressing the need for the exercise to persist.
Adding his voice, the match central referee Mr Judge Iboko thanked the players for their effort so far and pledged to be fair in the discharge of his duty.
Turning point gathered that Amachi DC also defeated Igbeagu development center one goal to nothing.