The Organising Committee of the Benin Unity Cup, an initiative of the Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District, Senator Neda Imasuen, on Friday unveiled the trophy and conducted the draws for the maiden edition of the tournament.
The event attracted key stakeholders in the state’s sports sector, including senior officials of the Edo State Sports Commission and executives of the Edo Football Association (Edo FA).
Speaking during the event, Senator Neda Imasuen said the Benin Unity Cup was conceived to empower young people through sports by taking them off the streets and giving them a structured platform to showcase their abilities.
“We will ensure that international scouts are on ground to identify these talents. Our goal is to help them realise their potential and develop their skills to international standards,” Imasuen said.
Also Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, expressed delight at the unveiling and commended Senator Imasuen for what he described as “a laudable initiative that aligns with the state’s vision for sports development.”
He urged that the talents to be discovered during the competition be properly harnessed through sustained development programmes to nurture and advance their football careers.
“We applaud this initiative because our primary objective as a Commission is to identify and nurture young talents in line with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s sports development plan,” Enabulele stated.
The draw ceremony, conducted by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Charity Amanyaevbo, grouped Ovia North East, Ikpoba-Okha, Egor, and Uhunmwode in Group A, while Oredo 1, Ovia South West, Orhionmwon, and Oredo 2 were placed in Group B.
In his goodwill message, the Director General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, lauded Senator Imasuen for the initiative, describing the unveiling as “unique and inspiring.”
He disclosed that the NIS will soon establish zonal centres across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria to further drive grassroots sports development.
“This unveiling is special because it is happening here at home,” Shaibu added.
The tournament, aimed at grooming young football talents across the seven local government areas in Edo South Senatorial District, will kick off on November 20 and climax on December 20, 2025. Each participating team will receive a full set of jerseys for 22 players.
The champion of the Benin Unity Cup will receive ₦1 million, the runner-up ₦700,000, the third-placed team ₦500,000, and the fourth-placed ₦300,000.
With its focus on grassroots talent and youth empowerment, the Benin Unity Cup is poised to become a key platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of football stars from Edo State.
