Kogi Philanthropist, Dr. Abdul Baba Bala, Sponsors Bassa Peace Football Tournament

By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja

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In a bid to foster lasting peace in Bassa local government, following the recent ethnic tension in the area, an Abuja-based philanthropist from Idah, Kogi State, and management training consultant, Dr. Abdul Baba Bala has donated a trophy for the Bassa Peace football tournament, currently holding in Bassa local government area.

The football tournament, which started on the 20th of April, 2026, has ten football clubs across the three districts of Bassa local government area, participating in the historic football championship, which seeks to promote peace, unity, inter-ethnic harmony, and sports development of the area through competitive football, community resilience and creative youth engagement for a peaceful coexistence in the once troubled area.

The chairman of Bassa local government area, Mr. Theophilus Daruwana Adama, who is the host of the tournament, expressed gratitude to the sponsor, Dr. Abdul Baba Bala, for his unwavering commitment to community development and grassroots sports development in Kogi State, “having demonstrated a rare commitment to youth and sports development across Kogi State and beyond.

“The sponsor of this tournament, Dr. Abdul Baba Bala, CEO of Starex Global Consults Ltd and the Ogba Community Development Union, which initiated the tournament, have demonstrated a spirit of willingness to grassroots development and peace building, as the great youth football championship is the first of its kind in the history of Bassa local government area, and for this great tournament, our administration is grateful to the donor for his charitable intervention.

“The Bassa Peace football tournament is not only a football competition, but a carnival of peace for Bassa local government, for which we are very proud to associate with the donor. Beyond football, this tournament has brought economic gains to our traders, with the obvious economic effects on our communities, as our restaurants, traders, and other food vendors in our community record high volumes of sales during this tournament.”

Mr. Daruwana appealed to Bassa people to be at the vanguard of peace protection at all times, as Governor Ododo’s administration is committed to peace building, inter-ethnic harmony, aggressive rural development and social justice in Kogi State. The council chairman urged the youth to be supportive of APC administration in the state, as the government implements incisive youth and sports development policies across the state aimed at strengthening the social fabrics of the state.

Chairman of the local organizing committee of the tournament, Coach Sunday Tukura, and a member of the local government legislative council, Hon. Odekina Gwomina, expressed gratitude to the chairman of the local government for giving support to grassroots sports development, especially football and community harmony across the local government area, which prides itself as the hub of grassroots soccer in Kogi State.

In the matches played so far in the preliminaries, Ogba United FC of Ogba Community in Mozum District, in a fierce encounter, defeated the Young Stars football club of Gbechi community in Bassa Kwomu district by 3-1, Koriko FC defeated Ankura FC by 3-1, while the young stars of Oguma defeated Ayede community by 2-0 and Sheria football club defeated Akakana FC by 2-0

In the semi-finals, Ogba United FC will engage the flying Jets of Odenyi in a stiff competition on Saturday, 25th April, 2026, at Oguma Township Stadium by 3:30pm (WAT). Oguma FC will play against Gbechi FC this Saturday morning at 7:30 am, April 25th.

Ogba united FC will play their third match in the tournament against the Ayede team in a semi-final encounter on 30th April, 2026, at 7:30 am, while Ogba United FC will tackle famous Oguma young Stars on 4th May, 2026, at 7:30 am.

As the tournament gains momentum, more teams have applied for registration to participate in the soccer fiesta, which has a cash prize of one hundred thousand naira for first position, while second position winner is expected to cash home fifty thousand naira cash prize, in addition to medals to deserving players and officials.

As the competition hots up in Bassa local Government area, the goalkeeper of Ogba United FC, Haruna Bashir, and a community leader in Bassa local government area, Alhaji Ibrahim Adama (a. k. a. Jackson), and a youth advocate and Head Coach of Ogba United FC, Coach Tanko, appealed to politicians, business leaders, farmers, community leaders and other spirited individuals in Bassa local Government area to sponsor more football championships to engage youths in positive ventures to reduce youth idleness, while Mr. Bako Tashilani, BCDU chairman of Bassa LGA chapter, and the Madaki of Ogba Community, Hon. Abdulmalik Bala Aliyu, called on the council chairman to do more in the area of sports development, as the community stakeholders appealed for government sponsorship to make the football tournament sustainable, bigger and remarkable annual sporting event.

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