Date: 2016-12-19

Hajia Mariam Bawa, the sponsor of the annual Emir of Kaiama Cup Football Competition, has called on stakeholders to provide technical and financial support to ensure the sustenance of the competition.

Bawa made the call on Sunday at the finals of the soccer competition in Kaiama, headquarters of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara.

She said accessing additional technical and financial support would attract more teams and expand the scope of the competition. Bawa explained that the competition was aimed at discovering soccer talents in rural areas and exposing them to opportunities to become professional players.

She expressed delight that five players that participated in the third edition of the competition were invited to the National U-13 camp in Abuja. Bawa said that this had boosted the confidence of the players in the competition.

"The competition has yielded the required impact since inception as it promoted harmony among the youths of the area. "The country has been unable to tap the potentials of youths, particularly at the grassroots.

"This is the reason for our keen interest in the soccer competition as a medium for youth development," she said.

She attributed the success of the annual competition to the unflinching support of her husband and former commissioner in the state, Alhaji Issa Bawa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Golden Stars FC of Kaiama defeated Manchester City of Kaiama by a lone goal to emerge the winners of the fourth edition of the tournament.

A total of 12 teams participated in the competition held in honour of the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Omar.

Hon. Zakari Mohammed representing Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency and Adamu Yakub, the Chairman of the Transitional Implementation Committee in Kaiama Council, attended the finals of the competition. (NAN)