IYEKHEI SPORTS FEST: 2021 ISF Champions Visit Otaru, Get Commendations

"We Shall Continue to Engage Youths." _CEO Valchi

🖊️ Enaholo J.K.

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Team Ögé who emerged the football champions of the 4th edition of Iyekhei Sports Festival have paid a courtesy visit to His Royal Highness, Alhaji A.H. Momoh, Ikelebe III, Otaru of Auchi Sacred Kingdom on Sunday.

The team presented their trophy to the monarch during an Otaru-in-Council (OiC) meeting as evidence of their success in the just concluded football tournament that held sway at Ekhei Primary School sponsored by Iyekhei Sons and Daughters in Europe.

The Otaru of Auchi congratulated the team and encouraged the youths to keep engaging in sporting activities as same will improve their physical and mental health going forward.

Using himself and a perfect example, the King explained that exercising does the body a whole lot of good _stating that common ailments that often come with age are usually brought to the minimal when people indulge in lots of physical activities in their youthful days.

"Football is very good and it helps the body in keeping fit and improves the mind. Aside making you physically fit, it has become a lucrative venture for wealth creation.

...youths should be encouraged to engage in this and other sporting activities so that we can have a healthy generation going forward." His Highness stated while encouraging the winners with a handsome token and prayed for future successful exploits.

Team Ögé's successful campaign at the just concluded ISF2021 football games kicked off with a 1:0 win over the Champions of ISF2020, team Osigwe on Day 01. They advanced further to trash Emoedumhe by 3goals to nothing on Day 03, held Aimeonikhare to a goalless draw which was later settled by a penalty shootout where Ögé found the back of the net 5times against their opponents who were only able to convert 3 out of 5 attempts on Day 07.

With their victory over Aimeonikhare, team Ögé made it to the Final to face-it-off with Etesemhe who too were able to take down Oluogba by 4goals to nothing, Aimeonikhare by 2goals to 1 and Osigwe in a controversial 1:1 draw where Osigwe were disqualified for an infraction _giving Etésemhe the right push to the finals.

The grande final was an historical event where both teams who made it to the final had never done so since the inception of the competition and for this reason, both teams gave it their best at trying to score and ensuring they didn't concede any goals.

It was a keenly competitive contest that lasted 90minutes of play without goals and as football culture demands, a winner had to be produced through the results of a penalty shootout. Here, the Ögé Brothers edged Etésemhé to 2nd place by scoring 4 PK goals against their opponent who had 2 PK goals.

Speaking at the event, Sir Oyemekhe Valentine, CEO of Valchi Chicken and Fries (associate sponsors of ISF2021) while appreciating the Organizers for the success of the event and for presenting a plaque to Valchi appealed for the expansion of the tournament so that other villages can compete with the promise that Valchi as a partner in progress will help ensure that the 5th Edition of Iyekhei Sports Festival turns out a robust package. Sir Val pledged the sum of #50,000 as a token for the Winners and the sum of #20,000 for the 1st Runners Up.

He congratulated all who took part in the exercise and prayed for more successful outing.

The CEO of Valchi Chicken and Fries while addressing the issue of youth engagement assured all that Valchi is not only committed to offering services and making gains but more importantly, the company is concerned about ways to gainfully engage youths, taking them off the streets and providing employment so that these youths can provide for their families. In view of this, he said that once the Valchi project at Ekhei Girls road is completed, not less than 250 Auchi youths will be absorbed into the system as staff.

Valchi currently engages not less than 500 persons in her workforce and the bulk of these are youths.