By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Encomiums have continued to pour in for the FCT Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ )  after the successful conclusion of the second edition of a 3-day football tournament that brought private and public organizations together.

The Correspondents Chapel Football Tournament which had twelve participating teams, came to an end at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja on Saturday, as the Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC) emerged champions after beating the Federal High Court 1-0.

Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel Comrade. Jide Oyekunle said the tournament was aimed at strengthening synergy amongst the participating organisations.

“This tournament is not just a competition; it is a celebration of talent, teamwork, and the unifying power of football.Football, as we all know, is more than just a game. It is a language that transcends borders, a passion that brings together people from all walks of life.”

“Going by the theme of the tournament “ Football for Friendship and Peace “ The 3- Day tournament is aimed at strengthening the relationships between the media and participating organizations particularly the security agencies. It is also aimed at shaping and promoting synergy and collaboration,” he revealed.

NUJ President Chris Isiguzo described the tournament as highly ‘inspiring’.

“The success of the inaugural edition last year and the enthusiasm that has carried over to this year is a clear indication of the Chapel’s leadership and organizational prowess. I hope I’m not going to burst your head when I declare you as the numero uno Chapel in the country. You’re clearly living to that expectation, setting a high standard for others to follow.”

“Engaging in activities such as this football tournament remains very crucial for our general wellbeing. As Journalist, we often find ourselves engrossed in a demanding task of gathering, reporting and analyzing news.

“  It is essential to create opportunities for relaxation and recreation. To rejuvenate our minds and bodies. Sports, particularly football, offers a perfect avenue for this.
Because it helps to promote physical fitness mental alertness and team spirit. This tournament is more than just a games, it is a celebration of our unity and strength as professional.

“ It is also a platform for us to bond and build lasting relationships that transcend our professional interaction. Such initiatives indeed offer a sense belonging and solidarity which clearly are essential in the high pressure environment of journalism,” Isiguzo stated.

“Moreover as we indugle in this exciting tournament, we must not lose sight of the essence of our profession. Your efforts in organising this tournaments are highly commendable and truly inspiring,” NUJ President affirms. 

One of the main partners of the tournament,  Transcorp Hilton Hotel,  through marketing manager Ifeanyi Nnadi urged the sponsors to make the event a bigger one next year.

“I want to first of all thank the organisers of this event for a very well turned out event, congratulations to the participant’s and to  everyone who won today. And of course we’re very happy to be a part of it. All the sponsors, all the planning committee, what I’ll just say is let’s make the next edition bigger and better. Thank you very much, all the best.” Nnadi declared.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police represented by Patrick Attahiru while appreciating the organisers for giving security operatives the opportunity to compete with others, pleaded for more collaboration with journalists to help strengthen Nigeria’s democracy. 

“I want to assure our brothers and sisters that the IGP is very keen to foster a very healthy and friendly relationship with the fourth estate of the realm. We understand the critical role journalists play in sustaining a vibrant democracy such as we’re trying to establish for our country. Together with the police we’re both key stakeholders in nurturing our democracy to fruition.”

“And I want to assure you that in any case or any instance a journalist feels any police man has stepped out of line or overuse his authority in any way or prevented you from doing your job, I’m sure you all have access to the highest echelon of the force. And I can assure you, the IGP has made it clear, if such a complaint is received, it’ll be dealt with and dealt with appropriately. So we’ll continue to support you and we hope you’ll continue to support us. Because we rely on you as a  force multiplier to achieve the strategic objective of the IGP in policing our great country. We seek your understanding, it’s a difficult job for us as well as for you, but with mutual understanding we’ll continue to collaborate and to cooperate,” IGP assured.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation Ibrahim Gusau also pledged a continued collaboration with the media, as he called on the organisers to make subsequent event a 20-team competition.

The representative of AIBEN, Elder Timothy Elerewe said the company would continue to support the media in their quest for positive change and development of the society. He thanked all participating organizations for the spirit of sportsmanship, resilience and determination. 

Those participating in the second edition  are as follows Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPCL ), Nigerian Police Force , Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS ), Nigerian Immigration Services ( NIS ), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),  Federal High Court, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Federal Road Safety Commission  (FRSC ), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), AIBEN Group, Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Nigeria Union of Journalists  (NUJ).

Following the 1-0 victory over Federal High Court, the FRSC retained the title it won last year