July 29, (THEWILL) – The Organisers of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament, tagged the Prosperity Cup, have applauded Governor Douye Diri for the increase in the tournament prize money for next year’s edition.
Speaking to newsmen in Yenagoa at the weekend, the Director General of the Central Organising Committee (COC), Mr Ono Akpe, hailed the governor for his passion and support towards the development of grassroots football in the state, saying that the governor was pleased with the quality of football witnessed in both finals and urged the organisers to continue to strive for improvement in every edition.
Mr Akpe said the prize money for the Prosperity Cup 2025, has been increased for male and female categories, following the approval of Governor Douye Diri.
According to him, winners of the male category will no longer receive five million Naira (N5,000,000), but ten million Naira (N10,000,000), while the female champion will smile to the bank with five million Naira, (N5,000,000), as against the one million Naira the champions got this year, adding that the second to fourth position will also benefit from the increment of Thirty Million Naira up from the Fifteen Million Naira that was the previous prize money.
The Prosperity Cup Director-General stressed that the gesture by the Governor speaks volumes of his administration’s drive towards using sports as a vehicle to steer youths away from criminal activities and drug abuse, maintaining that the tournament would continue to witness unprecedented improvement as it progresses.
Mr Ono Akpe extended his appreciation to the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and the Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr Daniel Igali, for the leadership role they played throughout the tournament, pointing out that their direct supervision was crucial to the Prosperity Cup’s success story. He stated “With the increased prize money, the COC would be re-organised and repositioned to meet the challenges ahead in the 2025 edition. Also, a new format for the 2025 edition would be unveiled in due course”, he concluded.
Also speaking, Secretary of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Bayelsa Chapter, Mr Patrick Ndubuisi, gave thumbs up to the Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for the Prosperity Cup prize money increase, stressing that with the development, participants for next year would surely surpass previous editions.
The wide-travelled sports journalist cum administrator was full of gratitude to the Governor for consistently demonstrating his penchant to spur youths to believe in themselves and chase their dreams through football, sports and other vocational subjects.
The Bayelsa SWAN scribe concluded by noting that soonest, the fanfare and humour surrounding the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament would be so loud across the globe, thereby attracting several partnerships, sponsorships as well as goodwill.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
