By Ahmed Ahmed
The MKW Football Team emerged victorious in the maiden edition of the Bala Wunti Ramadan Cup football tournament, defeating Tirwun Football Team 5-2 in a thrilling final match played at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium on Saturday
Our Correspondent reports that the eight-team tournament, organized by Alhaji Usman Yau Darazo, was introduced to foster unity among youths and discover promising football talents in the state.
The winners, MKW Football Team, received a cash prize of N200,000 and a trophy, while Tirwun Football Team, the runners-up, took home N100,000.
Other participating teams were awarded essential commodities such as bags of rice and spaghetti as consolation prizes.
Alhaji Usman Yau Darazo, the tournament’s organizer, emphasised the significance of the competition, noting that it was the first of its kind in Bauchi during Ramadan.
“The objective of this tournament is to strengthen relationships among the youth and provide a platform for discovering new football talents,
“We plan to make it an annual event as part of our corporate social responsibility,”he stated.
Darazo further highlighted that the tournament was also aimed at honoring Dr. Bala Wunti for his outstanding humanitarian contributions and commitment to community development in Bauchi.
He praised Dr. Wunti’s efforts in economic empowerment, infrastructure development, and youth engagement.
However, he cautioned against linking Dr. Wunti’s contributions to politics, affirming that he remains an active participant in the Federal Government.
“With the success of the first edition, expectations are high for an even more exciting and competitive tournament next year, further promoting football, unity, and youth engagement in Bauchi,” he said.
Mr Ahmed Hamma, the Technical Director of the tournament, commended the participating teams and young players for their impressive display of skills and teamwork.
“I am highly impressed by the level of talent exhibited in this tournament. Events like this help in talent discovery and football development, and we are encouraged to organize another edition next year,” he said.
Chief Coach of the MKW Football Team, Mr. Sani Rio, expressed gratitude to the organizers, stating that the tournament provided a valuable opportunity for teams to learn from one another.
“Both teams played exceptionally well. We were fortunate to win and take home the trophy,” he said.
Similarly, Ishiyaku Mohammed, Chief Coach of Tirwun Football Team, described the tournament as a crucial stepping stone for emerging teams in Bauchi.
“Finishing second is a significant achievement. This competition has been an eye-opener, and I encourage more of such tournaments to aid football development and talent discovery in the state,” he added.
