*As Ishielu FFC wins 2024/2025 Ebonyi First Lady Unity Cup
Mrs Nwifuru commended the female footballers cutting across the 13 local government areas of the state for having been active participants in the football tournament organized by his office through her pet foundation, Better Health for Women, Children and Internally Displaced People, BERWO.
She congratulated the Ishielu local government Female Football Club, who won the tournament, alongside Ikwo and Ezza North Female Football Clubs, who were respectively the second and third runners in the hot competition, participated by the 13 local government areas of the state.
Explaining the reason behind the formation of the female football team in Ebonyi, Mrs Nwifuru said that she brought the idea, after witnessing the Edo and Rivers Female Football Competition in Edo State.
"I saw the female footballers, and none of them came from Ebonyi State. I quickly snapped the picture of the players and forwarded it to the Sports Commissioner.
"I told him that by this time next as at then, I would like us to form the female football team in our dear state. He said, consider it done
"I'm happy for the formation of this football team and I'm happier all these girls are from Ebonyi State.
"I have got many talents to showcase to the world. They are from the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State, we are going to choose them until they begin to represent us outside the state.
"Enugu people have their own, Lagos has, and any other state that has an interest in GBV. This is part of stopping GBV practices in Ebonyi State and equally to allow the voice of females to be held in Ebonyi State.
"It's a way of helping our girls to show their talents, prove that in Ebonyi State, you can see many talents, which is footballing among others. So, I charge you to try as much as possible to showcase your talents to the world and we assure you our support as the government."
Lending his voice, the State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Prince Richard Idike, described the football tournament as a means of harvesting talents amongst the Ebonyi female folks in footballing.
"This is a talent hunting, organised by the office of Her Excellency, through his pet project, Better Health for Women, Children and Internally Displaced People, BERWO Foundation, in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
"A year ago, she went for a football competition that was between Rivers and Edo states, she snapped the female players and set to me, and requested that she want such a female team in Ebonyi State.
"She said she wanted to form a female football league for Ebonyi female talented footballers. She wants to have a sports academy, particularly for female footballers - Ebonyi Female Football Academy.
"That's why this tournament was organized. It's known as the talent hunt for female football players, and the final was held today," Idike stated.
He observed: "The players and their actions look like male, they played like male, it means we have talented female footballers in Ebonyi State.
"For some of our girls who didn't participate in the competition, I know everyone had one skill or the other, but my advice is whatever good you know you can do very well, do it well.
"I encourage those who can play football very well to come out and showcase their talents because there are many rewards for the best players both now and in the future."
The Chairman of Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi State, Chief Ogodo Ali Nome, commended the female footballers from hid council area for emerging third position in the tournament and assured of training them to be able to compete with other teams in the subsequent time.
