As preparations for the 2025 edition of the Bayelsa State Governor's Cup, tagged "Prosperity Cup", get underway, it is difficult not to remember the thrills and frills of the the last edition of the competition.
The 2024 edition of the competition, which is the sixth in the series, has come and gone but the sweet memories are still fresh in the minds of football enthusiasts in Bayelsa State and indeed across the nation, because the event has grown so big that it has attained a national status.
Renowned philosopher, Albert Aesop's observation that "good things come in small packages" succinctly captures the story of the Prosperity Cup. The tournament, which started in 2015 with 106 teams from across the nooks and crannies of Bayelsa State, has today become Nigeria's biggest grassroots soccer competition, with over 200 teams!
The tournament was the brainchild of the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Seriake Dickson and the alias of the competition then was the "Restoration Cup". The present governor, Senator Douye Diri, a very strong sports enthusiast, a former commissioner of sports in the state and a die-hard believer in continuity, had no qualms continuing with the competition when he came on board in 2020.
For some reason, the competition did not hold in some years. In line with the manthra of the present administration, the alias of the tournament has changed to "Prosperity Cup" but the focal name remains unchanged, Governor's Cup.
At the 6th edition last year, Ogboinbiri FC emerged champions of the grassroots football spectacle. The oil rich-Ogboinbiri side beat Nembe City FC by three goals to nil to lift the trophy in the grand finale watched by then Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, as well as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau.
Ogboinbiri FC joins previous winners, Ewoama FC of Brass in 2015, Peretorugbene FC of Ekeremor in 2018 and Okolobiri FC in 2019/2020. The competition returned in 2022, after a break occasioned by the COVID 19 pandemic that ravaged the world, with Eternal Grace Ministry (EGM) FC emerging champions that year.
Krusaders Feeders FC of Ekeremor were crowned champion in 2023 after beating De Grace FC of Yenagoa by 4-3 on penalties after scores remained stalemated at 1-1 at the end of regulation time at the Samson Siasia Stadium.
Ogboinbiri FC qualified from the Amassoma center having taken their opponents to the cleaners in the preliminary round, and went ahead to triumph as local government champions, spanking Adulama FC 2-0 in a scintillating final decided at Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Exhibiting doggedness and a strong fighting spirit, eventual champions, Ogboinbiri FC in the quarter finals, came from a goal down to beat Wodu FC, by three goals to one.
The Ogboinbiri side went ahead to pip Bayelsa United Feeders 1-0 in the semi finals while Nembe City FC got to the final of the showpiece with a victory over their eastern rivals, Kongho FC of Brass LGA 1-0 to set up the epic clash with Ogboinbiri F.C. in the final.
Season six of the Bayelsa State Governor's Football Tournament, saw the introduction of a major innovation, as the competition, for the first time, witnessed local government finals. In Ogbia LGA Mover's FC of Otuasega beat Anyama FC 2-1 to become Ogbia champions, Ogboinbiri FC of Southern Ijaw spanked Adulama to lift the LGA trophy at Oporoma town.
In Yenagoa, Bayelsa Medical University (BMU) FC beat Afini FC 2-1 to emerge the local government champions just as Agbere FC of Sagbama triumphed in Sagbama LGA against a youthful Bayelsa United Feeders side by 5-4 on penalties after a barren draw. On their part, Kongho United, Nembe City, Odi United and Krusaders Feeder FC also won in their respective LGA finals.
In the women's category, Niger Delta University (NDU) Queens were crowned champions, Peremo Soccer Academy came second while Afini Ladies went home with the third prize money. Leave Am For Me FC triumphed in the Para Soccer category of the championship.
Like last year, the 7th edition of the grassroots football spectacle will have three categories in the competition, namely male, female and the para categories. As part of plans to make the tournament more attractive, there has been an increase in the prize money. According to the organizers, the prize money has been increased from N20 million in previous editions, to N50 million this year!
The best male team will smile to the bank with a hefty N10 million, the first runners up will receive N5 million, second runner up will go home with N2.5 while the 4th placed team gets N1.5 million. The sum of one million Naira has been set aside for consolation prizes, bringing the total prize money in this category to 20 million Naira.
In the female category, the sum of N10 million is up for grabs as the winners are expected to receive the sum of N5 million, the second placed team will run home with N2.5 million while the third placed team will be N1.5 million richer. The fourth placed team will receive the sum of N500,000. The same amount of N500,000 will be available as consolation prize money in this category.
The sum of N3 million has been set aside as prize money for the para category. The champions at the local government level will receive the sum of one million Naira while the runners up will go home with the sum of N500,000.
Sale of registration forms is currently ongoing at the Samson Siasia Stadium. The amount for the registration form for male category is N25,000 while the form for the female category is going for a modest N15,000.
Apart from participation and winning trophies the showpiece has continued to positively engage the youths in Bayelsa as well as engendering unity among grassroots players, coaches and communities in the state.
By every standard, the last edition was a huge success. Hopefully, this year's edition will be better in terms of organisation, club participation, officiating, excitement, pomp and glamour. Bayelsans cannot wait for the Prosperity Cup season seven to start.
