Ogwus Youth Empowerment and Community Development Foundation launched
Umanuneye goalkeeper, Salvation Echipu’s heroic performance handed Umanuneye football club of Ihuowo a deserving victory over Buffalo Football Club to win the 2024 Upata Unity Cup.
The Ihuowo side beat their opponents 4-3 on penalties after the game had ended 1-1 in regulation time.
The tournament is solely sponsored by European Engineer Chinedu Ogwus (CMgr, FCMI, FAAPM, FCICM, FNISafety, FNIPetE JP).
Serving as a curtain raiser for the kick-off was the launching of the Ogwus Youth Empowerment and Community Development Organization. The donor has, in the last four years, empowered widows, widowers, and youths with various needs. The youths have benefited from training in tech, graphics, vocational, web designing, and coding, amongst others.
The match
Performing the ceremonial kick-off was former Super Eagles coach, George Finidi.
The game started with both sides thrilling the crowd with a beautiful display in the early stage of the game. The Ihuowo side dominated possession, but it was Buffalo who had the first shot at goal in the 12th minute. Daniel Aimuhuowo tested the palm of Salvation Echipu after beating his marker, Success Ifeanyi.
Umunanuneye took back control of the game shortly with Chima, Godknows, Michael and Salvation all connecting well to launch serious attacks on their opponents.
The pressure paid off in the 30th minute when Success’ fine pass from deep down the midfield found an advancing Godknows — the right back met with the ball, controlled calmly and beat goalkeeper Micha with a low but powerful strike to send the fans into wild jubilation. All Buffalo’s efforts to level up were thwarted by Salvation Echipu’s saves.
The second half started, and in six minutes of the restart, Buffalo levelled terms. A goal-mouth scramble from a corner kick went to Daniel Umuwonu, who headed home, beating Salvation Echipu, but not without the goalkeeper having a touch to save.
The game went on with opportunities for both sides, but no goal was coming forth. Buffalo grew stronger towards the tail end of the game and could have broken the heart of Umununeye, but Salvation Echipu once again saved his team with another world-class save, tipping the ball over the crossbar for a corner which signalled the end of the game.
The game went into kicks from the penalty mark and it was Buffalo who had two kicks missed. The Ula-Upata side had their second kick denied by the woodwork before the last kick was kicked wide off goal, sending the Umununeye team and their fans into tumultuous jubilation.
The winners went home with ₦700,000, the first runners up ₦500,000, and the second runners-up took home ₦300,000 as sponsored by Engineer Chinedu Ogwus.
Speaking after the tournament, monarch of Ehoeda community, His Majesty, Eze Igbu of Upata Kingdom III, Eze Otuwarikpo (PhD fnipr, JP) commended the organizer for his heart of gold and for giving back to the society which gave birth to him. He, however, urged the Rivers FA and NFF to look inward to the community like Ehoeda, where loads of talents can be identified and refined for national glory.
According to the sponsor, Engineer Chinedu Ogwus, this is done out of love for his community and it will only get better with the official launching of the Ogwus Youth Empowerment and Community Development Foundation as he promised to raise the bar by next year.
Earlier, Finiddi George in his short speech promised to revisit the community and work with the leaders in helping fine tune skills and abilities of football playing youths.