By: EMMANUEL AGBO, Kaduna
Takau Football Club, in Jema’a Local Government Area (LGA) Kaduna State, surprised their counterparts, Turunku of Igabi LGA, after handing them a surprise 4-0 spanking in the final game of peace cup, organized by Actionaid Nigeria in partnership with Global Peace Development (GPD) for Strengthening Approach Against Radicalization to Violent Extremism, (SARVE III) funded by Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, (GCERF).
The game was to commemorate the September 21, 2023 International Day Of Peace, with the final at the popular Murtala Square, Kaduna on Tuesday.
Alex Yohanna placed Takau FC ahead of their opponents following his first and second goals at 22nd and 38th minutes of the first half, while Captain Richard Samuel who claimed his team was motivated to play well, while seeing the cup, alongside Sunday Joshua sealed the game with a goal each at 57th and 72nd minutes of the second half.
Speaking with Journalists shortly after the game, Coach Ashiru Bala of Turunku, said, they came prepared but met another different tactics.
Ashiru noted that in every game there must be a winner, adding that “to qualify for final is not easy. The team has done their best but luck was not on their side to win the trophy. Meanwhile, we have been able to identify some of our errors and therefore we will go back to our drawing board and see how we can correct those mistakes.”
In his remarks, the Executive Director, Global Peace Development, (GPD) Mr. Esike Ebruke, said the essence of the event is to bring actions to the peace building process in Kaduna state, even as the theme of the 2023 Int’l Day of Peace is tagged “actions for peace: our ambition for the #GlobalGoals.”
Esike stressed that “we want to look at the interaction of young men in sport to be able to do act of community-social cohesion and resilience and so the match have been on all these while and we are here for the final today.
“The essence of the event is to bring action to the peace building process in Kaduna state, even as the theme of the 2023 Int’l Day of Peace is tagged “Action For Peace, we have other lines of activities coming up like the Cultural Peace Fiesta on the deal day, where communities will come with their attires and use them to showcase elements that can promote social cohesion and get the people connected to one another in the spirit of oneness.” He said.
Remarking also, the Project Officer, SARVE III, Actionaid Nigeria, Cornelius Shija said “we are running a three year project in Kaduna state in six Local Government Areas, (LGAs) on preventing violent extremism. We are trying to see how we can actually reduce and prevent violence in Kaduna state and by extension the Northwest region of Nigeria.
“The spread is between the three geopolitical zones of Kaduna state. The North, South and the Central zone. In the North, we have Kudan, Zaria, in Kaduna Central we have Igabi and Chikun while in the Southern zone, we have Jema’a and Kachia.
“From the start of the project we found out like other researchers that sport is one of the tools we can use to catch the youth. So in our plan for the int’l peace day which is every 21st of September we thought it wise to get something that can unite the people hence we are talking about peace. The finalists are from two different communities and it’s a way of showing the spirit of sportsmanship.”
Top dignitaries, including football coaches, applauded GPD and Actionaid Nigeria, following their ‘ efforts’ at ensuring peace thrives in Kaduna State.
