AKWA IBOM FA CONDUCTS DRAWS FOR OBONG ISONG ISANG MEMORIAL ACADEMIES CHAMPIONSHIP ... SETS FOR KICK OFF NOVEMBER 2ND 2024

Akwa Ibom state football association today conducts draws for the 2024 OBONG ISONG ISANG MEMORIAL ACADEMIES CHAMPIONSHIP

In the draws ceremony at the Uyo Township Stadium on Monday, 28th October, 2024, 19 registered academies were drawn in two groups of A and B with group A made up of  ten academies while group B is made up of nine Academies.

According to the draws, the opening match slated for 2nd November 2024 will be between immortality Academy and Nigeria Navy Soccer Academy by 4pm.

Other fixtures of the championship which will be played on knockout bases will have Nordic play  Heaven Race,

Eagle Eyes will be up against Artisan,

Wilnam sports academy will host De Ark  in group A while Blessed stars and Full life academies are drawn bye.

 In group B, Greenland  will start their campaign against Pillars Investors, Focus Academy will square up against Murphy's Stars, Olegacy will  be host of Greater Tomorrow, as 7th Wonders Academy will  play Real Dream Academy to compete group B with Virgin International is drawn bye 

Earlier, the State Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Football Association, Mr. Samuel Umoh reiterates the commitment of the Association to give Akwa Ibom State football lovers and Nigeria the best organised championship with every match featuring man of the match, pre and post match interviews as well as the technical committee coming out with an all stars team which will further represent the state in tours outside Akwa Ibom state.

Umoh, maintained that the Football Association under his watch is determined to ensure that they give the future stars the best orientation and charged the coaches and managers of the Academies to be at their best by instilling discipline and professionalism in their players before, during and after the championship.

Others who spoke during the draws were the chairman of the championship Mr. Raymond Essien who is also the vice Chairman of the Association, Nigeria Football Referees Akwa Ibom State Council representative by Dr. Rafael Inyang, representative of Nigeria Football coaches' Association, Coach Udobia Udobia and the representative of  grassroots and academies coaches, prophet Ubong, all luaded the sponsors of late Obong Isong Isang Memorial Academies championship and the Akwa Ibom State Football Association for giving them the platform to showcase their professionalism and as well developed football in Akwa Ibom state and by extension the world..

The championship is first of its kind in Akwa Ibom State and it is coming weeks after the Akwa Ibom State Football Association trained Academies owners, coaches and clubs on professionalism and sports business.

2024 U17 WORLD CUP: Nigeria pip Dominican Republic to set up date with USA

Shakirat Moshood’s 89th minute strike from 24 yards earned Nigeria all three points against a heroic Dominican Republic side in the two team’s final match of Group A at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup on Wednesday morning. The win ensured that Nigeria will battle USA in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Playing for the first time in Santo Domingo, the barnstorming Nigerians found the going tough under driving rain against a determined host nation, and could not make an overwhelming ball possession count until Moshood, now with four goals, unleashed a rocket from outside the box.

Captain Renata Mercedes and goalkeeper Rondon led a famous resistance against one of the elites of the competition, and the hosts deserved praise for their pushback that ensured the Flamingos made nothing out of 16 corner kicks.

Coach Bankole Olowookere made three changes to the starting line-up, bringing in Rokibat Azeez, Blessing Ifitezue and Ramotalahi Kareem in place of Onyedikachi Ekezie, Peace Effiong and Harmony Chidi.

He restored Effiong and Chidi after the hour, but it took a special effort from Moshood, scorer of the tournament’s fastest goal, to break the hearts of the hosts

Victory means the Flamingos top their group, three points better than second-placed Ecuador, who walloped New Zealand 4-0 to finish with six points and set up a clash with Spain on Sunday. Caprice Chiuchiolo netted a brace.

OBONG ISONG ISANG MEMORIAL ACADEMIES CHAMPIONSHIP 2024: FA TASK REFEREES ON PROFESSIONALISM

The Akwa Ibom State Football Association has charged referees in the state to display high level of professionalism in the 2024 OBONG ISONG ISANG MEMORIAL ACADEMIES CHAMPIONSHIP slated for 2nd to 9th of November, 2024 in Uyo the Akwa Ibom state capital.

The Chairman of the Association, Mr Samuel Umoh who was flanked by his Vice, Mr. Raymond Essien and the Secretary, Comrade Kufre  Etukudo gave the task during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Football Referees Council in Akwa Ibom State as part of the football association's activities ahead of the championship.

Umoh explained that his leadership will not tolerate any form of unprofessionalism in any competition they organise, stressing that OBONG ISONG ISANG MEMORIAL ACADEMIES CHAMPIONSHIP will serve as a litmus test for other tournaments the association is planning to embark on.

" There is nothing like a favoured team in the upcoming Obong Isong ISang memorial academies championship and as such all the Academies deserve fair and professional treatment throughout the championship. We want these academy players to get the right mindset and that cannot be achieved if the referees are not at their best professionally ".

Responding, the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State football referees Council, Elder Joseph Bassey and his Secretary Dr. Raphael Inyang, praised the leadership of the football association under Samuel Umoh for being very active and innovative with programs aimed at improving the quality of the game of football in Akwa Ibom state.

Elder Bassey pledge to ensure that referees in Akwa Ibom state remain professional in all their outing by ensuring that they officiate in tandem with the laws of the game and appealed to the football association chairman to aid in making the players and officials of the Academies to be aware of the roles of football and that of the championship.

OBONG ISONG ISANG MEMORIAL ACADEMIES CHAMPIONSHIP: PRIZE MONEY IS READY - FA

Akwa Ibom State Football Association says the prize money for the maiden edition of Obong Isong Isang Academies Memorial Football Championship is ready and will be presented to the winners on the final day of the championship.

The Chairman of the Association, Mr. Samuel Umoh stated this when the Association met with some of the Academies that are affiliated with the Akwa Ibom State Football Association and are ready to compete in the Championship slated for 2nd to 9th of November 2024 at the Uyo Township Stadium.

Umoh, reiterate that the board under his leadership will not embark on any project that will not be carried to a successful conclusion with both parties getting what is due them.

The Chairman, sued for more sponsorship for the championship and other activities of the Football Association in Akwa Ibom state, maintaining that the Association will continue to be transparent and accountable in its leadership with the focus on grassroots development, talents discovery and returning football the masses with investors gaining from their investment in football.

It would be recalled that the Akwa Ibom State Football Association had begun registration for the Championship on Monday 14th October with a fee of 20 thousand naira and will end on Tuesday 22nd October while late registration with an extra charge of 10 thousand naira will start on 23 October and closed on October 26 2024 so as to make way for the draws slated for 28th October 2024.

The Championship will be played on knockout bases amongst the registered affiliate academies in Akwa Ibom state at the township stadium 

Responding on behalf of the Academies, Coach Matthew Japhet of Full Life football Academy, applauded Mr Samuel Umoh led Association for being very active in football development in Akwa Ibom state immediately after their elections in April this year.

Coach Japhet, thanked the board for restoring the confidence of people investing in football and expressed optimism that more talented players will be brought to lamplight through the championship.

OBONG ISONG ISANG ACADEMIES MEMORIAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: A'IBOM FA PLEDGES FAIRNESS TO ALL

The Akwa Ibom State Football Association (AKSFA),  has pledged to remain open and fair to all the Academies during the 2024 Obong Isong Isang Memorial Football  Championship.

The Chairman of the Association, Mr. Samuel Umoh, made the promise in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital on Monday during a media briefing to kick off activities for the maiden edition of the championship, stating that the championship is in honour of late Obong Isong Isang and will be a yearly event 

According to the Akwa Ibom State Football Association, registration began on Monday 14th October with a fee of 20 thousand naira and will end on Tuesday 22nd October while late registration with an extra charge of 10 thousand naira will  commence on,  October 23, 2024 and close on October 26 2024 and draws for the Championship is slated for 28th October 2024.

The Championship will run from 2nd Nov,2024 -9th November, 2024 and will be played on knockout bases amongst the registered affiliate Academies in the state at the Uyo Township Stadium.

Also, speaking,Akwa Ibom State referees council represented by it's Secretary, Dr. Rafael Inyang applauded Mr. Samuel Umoh led Board for initiating a football championship which is aimed at harnessing talents in Akwa Ibom state and promised the Association of a rewarding partnership for the success of the tournament.

On his part, the Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Comrade Emmanuel Akpan, commended the Akwa Ibom State Football Association for honouring the late football legend and administrator, Obong Isong Isang with the championship and appealed for more collaboration for a successful championship which he expressed optimism that this will exposed the abundant football talents in Akwa Ibom State.

AKWA IBOM FA SET FOR MAIDEN ACADEMIES CHAMPIONSHIP,STARTS REGISTRATION ON 14TH OCTOBER

Motions are in place for the maiden edition of the Akwa Ibom state Football Association academies championship.

This was made public in a letter to all the affiliated academies signed by the secretary of the Akwa Ibom state football governing body comrade Kufre Etukudo yesterday 9th August 2024.

The letter indicates that registration for the championship will start on Monday 14th October and ends on Tuesday 22nd of October 2024 while late registration starts on Wednesday 23rd and runs through to 26th October 2024.

According to the association, academies desiring to compete in the championship should make payment of twenty thousand naira only to the Akwa Ibom state football association account.

The championship is slated to kick off on the 2nd of November and run through to the 9th of November 2024 in Uyo the Akwa Ibom state capital.

"Academies willing to participate should make payment of 20k only to the account below;

Name : Akwa lbom State Football Association 

Bank : FCMB

Account number: 1327276018

Meanwhile the Akwa Ibom state football Association has continued to call on football clubs willing to compete in the 2024 president federation cup to endeavour to pay 200 thousand naira for male teams and 150 thousand naira for female teams as registration fee before 1st November 2024.

Both competitions are only for affiliated academies and clubs willing to compete in the championship and the president federation cup.