Mulade, CEPEJ Unveils Jerseys, Trophies For Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Tourney

Mulade, CEPEJ Unveils Jerseys, Trophies For Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Tourney

By Ezekiel Kagbala 


Niger-Delta Activist, and National Coordinator, Centre For Peace And Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade, yesterday, Thursday, August 22nd, inaugurated a 10-man local organising committee for the Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Football Tournament created to promote peaceful co-existence among ethnic groups in Delta Central and Delta South of the state. 

The tournament is scheduled to commence November 16, 2024, at Ode Itsekiri and also serve as an avenue to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Tolerance, December 7, 2024.

Mulade, a Niger-Delta Peace advocate in his speech at the unveiling and inauguration ceremony held at the CEPEJ’s Africa for Peace Centre in Ugolo, near Osubi, noted that this year’s event, the fourth in the series, will have Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha, as Chairman of the 10-Man Planning Committee.

He disclosed that the competition has been expanded to accommodate more ethnic groups unlike in the past when it involved only Itsekiri and Ijaws alone.

Mulade who is the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of CEPEJ, explained that this year’s competition will now accommodate Itsekiri, Ijaw, Isoko and Urhobo to foster peaceful coexistence amongst the people of Delta Central and South areas of the state populated by the ethnic groups.

“This programme, unlike the previous ones, has been expanded to cover Delta Central and South. The aim is to engender peaceful coexistence among the tribes. Itsekiri, Urhobo, Ijaw and Isoko.

“This is our contribution to promote peaceful coexistence among the people of Delta State. We are expanding it to accommodate Isoko and Urhobo to enable a peaceful environment for the government to bring the needed development to the state”, he stated.

Mulade disclosed that the Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, is billed to kickoff the newly-inaugurated Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup football tournament at Ode-Itsekiri as the royal father of the day.

He added that a N5 Million consolidated prizes is at stake in the football competition with the winner going home with N2m, runners up with N1.5m, third place with N1m and fourth place bagging N500,000.

Responding on behalf of the committee members, the Chairman of Delta State Sports Association, Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha commended Mulade for the initiative and efforts in the previous years and therefore urged members of the committee to put in their best when carrying out their duties.

I want to appeal to all of us to give our best towards a successful competition”, he added.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of CEPEJ, Dr. Godwin Orhadhawe, urged the media to give wider publicity on the event to achieve the purpose for which it was instituted.