Isamail Abdulazeez Mantu Reporting
Edo State, Nigeria
The anticipation for the much-awaited 2024 Edo State FA Cup has reached its peak as the football fraternity gears up for the competition set to kick off on Friday, March 10th, 2024.
The draws for the tournament took place on Monday at the media center of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
During the draw event, Edo Football Association Chairman, Fred Newton Erhunwmunse, expressed his gratitude to the Edo FA Board, football stakeholders, and sponsors for their unwavering support. He also took a moment to pay tribute to the late former Vice Chairman, Kindness Ohiowele, who passed away in active service on February 11th this year. Erhunwmunse praised Ohiowele’s significant contributions to the development of football in Edo State, and a minute of silence was observed in his honor. The late Football administrator is set to be laid to rest on March 15th, 2024, in Ekpoma.
Addressing the participating teams, Erhunwmunse emphasized the importance of playing by the rules, warning of sanctions by the Match Organizing Committee (MOC) for any infractions before, during, and after the games.
In his opening statement, Erhunwmunse expressed his elation about presiding over the first FA Cup competition under his leadership. He thanked his board members and the entire football community for contributing to the success of the draw event. The chairman reiterated his commitment to restoring Edo State to its premier position in Nigerian football.
“Football has become a global business, and for us to excel, we must be ready to make sacrifices and give our best to the association,” Erhunwmunse stated. He thanked the sponsors and partners for their support, acknowledging the capital-intensive nature of organizing such a competition.
The Edo State FA Cup, featuring 31 teams (27 male and 4 female), is scheduled to begin on March 10th at various centers across the state. The competition will culminate in the men and women’s finals at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on March 31st.
Notably, five teams were seeded in the men’s category, including Bendel Insurance FC, Bendel Insurance Feeders FC, Rolly FC, BJ FC, and Ine Stars FC. In the women’s category, Edo Queens FC and Fortress Ladies FC were also seeded.
The draw ceremony, attended by various sports personalities, saw the unveiling of jerseys for the semifinalists in both categories. Fred Newtown Erhunwmunse commended Big Joe Ventures and Optimus by Afrinvest for their contributions to the tournament, presenting jerseys for the men and women teams, respectively.
Former Super Falcons players Otasowie Ogbomwan and Amenze Omoidiagbe conducted the draws for the women, while former Nigeria internationals Baldwin Bazuaye MON and Lucky Agbonsevbafe MON oversaw the draws for the men’s category, adding a touch of nostalgia to the colorful event.