BAYELSA UNVEILS MASCOT OF GOVERNOR DICKSON’S UNITY CUP

BAYELSA, Nigeria – The Mascot of the up-coming Governor Dickson Unity Cup codenamed the Ogbia Challenge was on Thursday unveiled with a call on every stakeholder to deploy sport as a tool to promote unity and peace in the Ogbia kingdom.

The State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Daniel Iworiso-Markson made the call while welcoming dignitaries to the Mascot unveiling ceremony at the Amphitheatre   of the Information House, Yenagoa. According to him, unity remained a catalyst for communal growth and development, insisting that every Ogbia person must avoid divisive tendency and work together in the spirit of oneness as practiced by the forebears of the Ogbia nation.

The football fiesta, he said, will also hunt for talents to be promoted at the big stage in football while discussions are on with scouts to assist at picking the best of talents, who when groomed, could play in big league abroad and contest for national jersey. 

He said the Ogbia Challenge also has the capacity of diverting the youth from vices and crimes, saying that young people must embrace sports as  a career. While unveiling the mascot, the Obanoban of Ogbia, His Royal Majesty Charles Owaba, urged the Ogbia people to embrace one another as a member of one big family in order to promote individual’s well-being and communal development.

The Paramount Ruler, represented at the event by Chief Johnny Johnny, commended Hon. Iworiso Markson for seeking the good of Ogbia at all time. The Obanoban said those who seek the good of the land will prosper and urged Ogbia elites to emulate the Information commissioner’s gesture in order to secure a good future for the Ogbia youth.

Other dignitaries including the Commissioners for Chieftaincy and Community Development, Chief Saviour Ibegi, Special Projects, Fred Obua and Energy Chief Partner Ogbolo as well as the Director General Bayelsa State Investment Agency, Patience Abah and Ogbia Local Government Chairman, Mrs. Naomi Ogoli casted their voices to the call for unity and support for the Governor Dickson Unity Cup. 

Speaking in the same vein, the Restoration Ogbia Caucus Leader, Chief Okiriyan described Hon. Daniel Iworiso-Markson as a genuine Ogbia man who love the Ogbia people. Chief Okiriyan said the innovative performance of Hon. Iworiso-Markson has marked him out as a young man with a bright future whose vision for unity is a buy-in for the Ogbia people. Meanwhile, the Governor Dickson Unity Cup Organising Committee has published the fixtures for the tournament.  

Thirty, (32) teams from across various communities in Ogbia will participate at four centres namely Opume, Kolo, Otuokpoti and Imiringi. The tournament will kick-off on Monday.