The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has kicked-off the Emeka Okoye Football Competition to discover budding football talents among inmates within Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre.
The competition, which is known as the Emeka Okoye Cup being sponsored by Chief Emeka Okoye, an Enugu-based philanthropist, is featuring six club-sides that would engage in football spectacles from Dec. 11, 2023 to Jan. 3, 2024.
The six club-sides are made-up of players (inmates) currently serving at the centre.
Kicking-off the competition on Monday at the football pitch of the centre, Mr Sunday Oyakhire, Deputy Controller of Corrections in-charge of Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre, said that the competition was meant to tap into the great prospect of sports especially football.
Oyakhire said that the competition would showcase great football talents even as the NCoS was also focused on sports as a means of reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of the inmates into the society.
“The Controller-General of Corrections, C-G Haliru Nababa, has been so wonderful in developing innovative means and engagement to see to the reformation and reintegration of our inmates back to the society.
“The C-G has continued to encourage sporting competition and engagement as a means of re-orienting our inmates. He also uses it to encourage the inmates to be the best they can be.
“Very recently he (C-G) has said that if there is an outstanding footballer (or footballers), he (player) will be recommended for freedom. That is what he has just said recently,” he said.
The deputy controller also lauded the Controller of Corrections in Enugu State, Mr Nicholas Obiako, for creating an enabling environment for well-rounded reformation to take place at the Enugu Custodial Centre.
According to him, for this year, this is the second football competition or tournament we are having at this centre and it is more about promoting spirit of sportsmanship and positive competition among the inmates.
“It will keep them busy within this period and there will be no tendency of people (inmates) trying to escape from custody.
“It will arrest their minds, keep them in a place and they will not think of other evils as well,” he said.
The deputy controller said that there was an already made arrangement to get football scouts, football managers and owners of football club-sides in Enugu State and beyond to come and watch the semi-finals, third place and final matches.
“We normally invite coaches from outside, football teams, football managers and others for them to look at the good and quality players (inmates) they can incorporate into their teams once they are out of custody.
“These coaches, managers and scouts can also facilitate the recommendation for the release of the spotted or discovered talents.
“We are hoping that our students (who are under our reformation now) will turn out to be leading football stars in the country and internationally. This is our ultimate target and we are working hard to achieve it,” he added.
The six club-sides participating in the competition included: Controller of Corrections team; Deputy Controller of Corrections team; Emeka Okoye team; CAPIO team; NOWAS team and Freedom-at-Last team.
The winning club will get N100,000; while the runners up will go home with N60,000 and third place winner will grab N40,000.
There would be monetary prizes for best player of the competition; best goalkeeper; highest goal scorer and best defensive player among others.
The kick-off match between Emeka Okoye team and Deputy Controller of Corrections team was underway during the time of filling this report.
