By Silvernews
The maiden edition of the Imo State Under-13 Football Tournament came to a colourful close at Amato, with the sponsor, Archbishop Prof. Amb. Lawrence Luba, hailing the event as a historic milestone for grassroots football development in the state.
In his closing address, Archbishop Luba expressed gratitude to God for making the tournament a reality, describing it as the fulfillment of a dream to provide young talents with a platform to shine.
He lauded the Special Guest of Honour, HRH Eze Michael Utoko Ogbenna and his Traditional Council, as well as coaches, referees, parents, and organizers for their collective roles in making the competition a success. Special praise went to the Tournament Coordinator, Comrade Chris Onyedika, whom he described as the “brain behind the tournament,” for managing the event professionally from start to finish.
Amato Academy FC emerged champions of the inaugural competition, defeating strong opposition to etch their names in history. Chika FC of Orji and Silver Sports Academy, Mbaise, finished second and third respectively, with Archbishop Luba declaring them “champions in spirit” for their spirited performances.
The cleric emphasized that the tournament was “only the beginning,” revealing plans to expand the next edition to cover more communities across Imo State, with stronger scouting links to expose discovered talents to professional opportunities.
“It is my vision that this platform will produce the next Kanu, Amuneke, or Iheanacho from Imo State,” he declared.
Encouraging the young players, Archbishop Luba urged them to stay disciplined, respect their parents and coaches, and never stop dreaming, stressing that their talent combined with character would open doors to global opportunities.
The Archbishop officially declared the maiden edition closed, promising that the second edition would be “bigger, better, and more impactful.”
