BAYELSA GOVERNOR FLAGS OFF SEASON 8 OF PROSPERITY CUP AS BARCELONA COACHES IDENTIFY TALENT
Yenagoa, Nigeria — Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri has officially launched the eighth edition of the Prosperity Cup, the state’s flagship grassroots football tournament, in a ceremony at the Sampson Siasia International Sports Complex in Yenagoa. The event brought together football officials from Nigeria and Spain to celebrate grassroots football and talent development.
The launch featured the formal presentation of specially crafted trophies for both male and female categories, designed to commemorate Bayelsa State’s 30th anniversary. The trophies were presented to Governor Diri by former Nigerian international Jossy Dombraye and former Bayelsa Queens star Ebiere Wealth, before being handed to the Deputy Governor Dr. Peter Akpe, who in turn passed them to the Commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali.
Adding an international touch to the ceremony, FC Barcelona technical staff Bernat Villa Gorriz and Alberto Lafuente Rincon presented the Governor and his Deputy with branded Barcelona jerseys, drawing warm applause from the gathering.
Deputy Governor Akpe highlighted the importance of grassroots football in the state’s sports development. “The development of sports is incomplete without the grassroots, so attention must be paid to ensure our sports grow to the next level,” he said. He also commended the organisers for capacity-building programs held in the lead-up to the tournament and urged young players to seize the opportunities presented by the Prosperity Cup.
A week-long coaching clinic led by the Barcelona technical team provided training for referees, coaches, medical personnel, and media officials. Both Gorriz and Rincon expressed satisfaction with the talent on display, noting that they had identified players with potential to progress to international stages. The Bayelsa State Government is also exploring the establishment of a permanent Barcelona Academy in the state.
The opening match of Season 8 saw Prosperity Cup Selected B defeat Selected A 2-1. The two sides were coached by local tacticians who had recently participated in the Barcelona clinic, giving them an opportunity to apply their new skills under the watchful eyes of the international coaches.
Season 8 is the largest in the tournament’s history, featuring 257 teams, 227 male, 28 female, and, for the first time, two fully funded para-soccer teams. The total prize fund stands at 80 million naira, a 60 percent increase from last year’s 50 million naira.
The tournament will run through several stages, with preliminary rounds from February 26 to April 5, Local Government Area finals from April 8 to 20, and the grand finale scheduled for May 2 at the Sampson Siasia International Sports Complex.
Director General of the tournament, Mr. Ono Akpe, described this year’s edition as a celebration of Bayelsa State’s creation and its commitment to youth development through sports.
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