The Wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, on Thursday, kicked off the Under-13 football competition with a call on children to embrace sports for their mental development.
The football competition was organised by the United States Government Exchange Alumni Association of Nigeria (USGEAAN), Enugu Chapter and the Enugu Rangers International Football Foundation.
The event featured a football match between children from Smart Green Schools from Nkanu East and Oji River.
Mrs. Mbah, represented by the wife of the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Mrs. Chinyere Ugwu commended the organisers for combining sports with social and emotional learning.
She encouraged the children to develop healthy relationships, strengthen their emotional resilience, and embrace teamwork through sports.
The State Coordinator of USGEAAN, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said the children should focus on practical and healthy ways to deal with anxiety in a brief learning session.
Amaraizu said the participants were deliberately selected from rural communities to promote interaction between children from different communities within the state.
He also said many of the children had never experienced playing at a facility such as the Rangers’ Training Camp, adding that the exposure would inspire them.
The Programme Manager, Mrs. Uche Anyaegbudike said the event was part of activities that marked the United States’ 250th Anniversary and co-hosting of the concluded FIFA World Cup.
Uche said the event was intentionally community-focused.
According to her, many gifted children lived in villages and deserved platforms to showcase their talents and interact with peers.
The programme attracted government officials, community leaders, sports enthusiasts and education stakeholders.
