The kick-off date for the 6th edition of the Uromi Like Minds Initiative (ULMI) Annual Secondary Schools Football Tournament has been announced.
Chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), who also doubles as Chairman of the Welfare Committee of ULMI, Hon. Matthias Osezua Igberaese, disclosed in a press statement made available to the media on Monday that this year’s football fiesta will commence on October 6, 2026.
According to him, 24 secondary schools from Uromi and its environs are expected to participate in the tournament, featuring both male and female categories.
In separate letters addressed to the Esan North East Education Board and the management of Esan North East Local Government Council, ULMI stated that the tournament will, as usual, be held at the Council Sports Complex, in front of the Local Government Secretariat in Uromi.
The letters, signed by the Executive Chairman of ULMI, Dcn. Amb. Darlington Okpebholo Ray, and the General Secretary, Mr. Paulinus Onobhayedo, also confirmed that the grand finals of both the male and female competitions will take place on December 26, 2026.
The correspondence was made available to the media by the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Mr. Armani Era Akhogba.
Since its formation in 2020, Uromi Like Minds Initiative has remained at the forefront of community development and humanitarian intervention across critical sectors in Esan North East Local Government Area. The organisation comprises sons and friends of Uromi, both at home and in the diaspora, united by a common commitment to the development of the community .
ULMI’s interventions have covered health, education, sports, security and infrastructure. Among its major projects are the purchase of the security surveillance drone for the Security Network in the LGA to check the menace of kidnapping and other violent crimes, reconstruction, equipping and continued support of the Edo State Library in Uromi; installation of street signage across Uromi; free medical outreaches in villages and communities; recognition and rewards for outstanding teachers; and scholarships for exceptional science students at the Federal Science and Technical College and the Federal Institute of Construction Technology, both in Uromi.
The annual Secondary Schools Football Tournament has also become one of the organisation’s flagship legacy projects, providing young people with an opportunity to showcase their sporting talents while promoting healthy competition, discipline and unity among schools.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Membership Recruitment and Onboarding Committee, Engr. Godwin Ibadin, has called on more sons and friends of Uromi across the world to join the organisation and contribute to the development of the community.
“There are still many sectors in Uromi that require our attention, and we intend to do more because our mission is to make Uromi a better place for us, our children and our grandchildren,” Ibadin said.
“I am therefore using this opportunity to call on our brothers and friends of Uromi all over the world to join us in building the Uromi of our dreams. Government cannot do it all alone.
“Joining us is very easy. Visit our website or contact any of our members, including my humble self or our Executive Chairman, Dcn. Amb. Darlington Okpebholo Ray, and we will guide you through the process,” Engr. Ibadin concluded.
