FC Robo Queens of Lagos on Friday evening emerged champions of the second Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament (BOWFT) after beating hosts Edo Queens 1-0 in an explosive final.
Rukayat Oladeti grabbed the match winner for Robo FC in the 24th minute.
The champions received N5 million, while the runners-up Edo Queens got N2.5 million.
In the inaugural edition, Bayelsa Queens defeated Rivers Angels 4-3 on penalties claim the title. New champions Robo Queens were defeated 4-5 penalties by Edo Queens in the third placed match of that edition.
In the third-place match of the second edition, Delta Queens defeated Nasarawa Amazons 4-2 on penalties after 120 minutes of exciting football ended goalless.
Delta Queens were rewarded with N1.5 million cash, while Nasarawa Amazons got N750,000.
The 10-day event climaxed with not just football but also scintillating cultural displays, singing, dancing and drumming as well as exciting displays by various groups to announce the end of the tournament.
The tournament, which is Nigeria’s only pre-season women’s football championship, is a brainchild of the wife of the Edo State Governor, Mrs Betsy Obaseki.
Many wives of state governors across the country graced in final in solidarity with Mrs Obaseki. They were led by the Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum, who is also First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Olabisi Fayemi. Others came from Sokoto, Enugu, Delta, Abia, Ogun, Oyo, Taraba and Bayelsa States, among others.
Also in attendance were the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki; his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu; Youth Development and Sports Minister, Mr Sunday Dare; and ex-Sports Minister, Mr Solomon Dalung.
Other top personalities included the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun; Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Mr Yusuf Ali; and wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs Maryann Shaibu.
The tournament, themed “Say No to Drugs” is aimed at raising awareness on the adverse effects of drug abuse by youths.
A seminar with over 10,000 youths, eminent personalities, guests and representatives from Nigeria’s 36 states was also part of the tournament for a discourse to advance the campaign against drugs abuse, its various manifestations, impact on the sports industry and the larger society and the collective action to tackle the menace for the betterment of the society.
Dare commended the governor, his deputy and the Edo First Lady for the well-organised pre-season tournament.
“We are here again to watch the second edition of the biggest pre-season tournament in Edo State.
“What we saw here today is beautiful; a world-class tournament as can be seen in other developed nations of the world. What we saw here today is history and the power of women in sports is on display.
“I thank all the First Ladies here present to support this vision of our First Lady, Mrs Betsy Obaseki. I appeal to them to go back home and replicate this in their various states. It can be in football or any other sports.
“At the just-concluded Commonwealth Games, 95 percent of our medals were won by women and women are making us proud.”
Also, Mrs Fayemi noted: “I am here with a powerful delegation of governors’ wives from Sokoto, Enugu, Delta, Abia, Ogun, Oyo, Taraba and Bayelsa states.
“We are here to support our sister. Sports is important for developing our self-esteem and discipline for our women. This year’s message is ‘say no to drugs’. As First Ladies, we have several issues in our minds which includes sexual-based violence and drug abuse, amongst others. We are here to support this effort and say no to drugs as drugs can destroy a whole generation”.
