Stakeholders have urged governments to revive grassroots football tournaments as a means to foster social cohesion and promote peacebuilding in crisis-affected communities across the North East region.
Afiniki Mangzha, Executive Director of the Integrated Women, Youth and Child Foundation (IWAYEC Foundation), made the appeal during the final of the inter-community football tournament held in Maiduguri. The event, themed “A Peace and Unity Football Match,” brought together football lovers and residents from six communities in the Maiduguri region following years of conflict in the area.
Mangzha said the initiative was aimed at promoting togetherness and rebuilding trust among communities, including Manduganari, Maiduguri, Polo, Lamisula, Ngomari, and Kumahe in Jere and Maiduguri Metropolitan Councils respectively.
She explained, “We are gathered here today to play a peace football match, which is part of our inter-community tournament. This is one of the activities designed to promote peacebuilding under our project funded by the UNDP, the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), and the Peacebuilding Fund.
“Basically, this is to promote peace and social cohesion in Borno State. The teams have been playing for the past two weeks, and today is the final, with Ngomari and Polo slugging it out.”
Mangzha added that the football match had successfully united communities that were once divided by conflict.
“Interestingly, this football match has brought together six communities. We believe football is a unifying factor because it brings people together irrespective of their race, tribe, or religion.
“We are glad to bring people together through football. In fact, it’s not only about the men cheering their players, but also about the women who came all the way from their communities to support their youths. I think this is a great and landmark achievement for us,” she said.
Also speaking, Timothy Azaki of Women in New Nigeria (WINN) said the project leaned on the unifying power of football to create positive change, foster peaceful coexistence, and build stronger communities.
“As the game commenced, players from both sides displayed remarkable skill and sportsmanship, treating spectators to an exciting display of teamwork and determination while strictly adhering to the principles of mutual respect.
“I believe that if we can revamp grassroots sports, it will help build a society devoid of crisis. This initiative has once again demonstrated that we can live together in peace and harmony regardless of our differences,” Azaki said.
The Director of Youth Empowerment at the State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Poverty Alleviation, Yusuf Mustapha Mohammed, commended the organisers and assured that Governor Babagana Zulum’s administration was committed to reviving grassroots football competitions across the state.
He noted that the final match ended with Ngomari FC defeating Polo FC 5–4 on penalties, but said the true victory was the sense of camaraderie that emerged as players exchanged jerseys and community members lingered afterwards, discussing how such initiatives could foster lasting peace in the region.
Participants attested that since the rise of insecurity, the community had not witnessed such a unifying event in years.
One football player, Bakura Modu, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to bring people together once again, saying that without the intervention from PBF-UNDP and LCBC, the event would not have been possible.
Another player, Abdul Yaro, agreed, “I really appreciate the organisers for how this match strengthened the bond of unity among our people, who are from different ethnoreligious groups.”
He said he was impressed by the sportsmanship displayed between the opposing teams and excited to participate in future sports events promoting peace.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the Inter-Community Football Tournament was funded and supported by the UNDP, PBF, and LCBC, and jointly implemented by IWAYEC Foundation and WINN.
