Daud Olatunji
Dangote Cement Plc has deployed grassroots football as a tool for youth empowerment, talent discovery and peacebuilding, launching a maiden unity tournament for young people in its host communities around its Ibese and Okpella plants.
The competition, sponsored by the cement manufacturing giant, is designed to strengthen relationships among host communities, promote peaceful coexistence and provide young people with opportunities to showcase their football talents.
The tournament, which commenced simultaneously at the company’s Ibese and Okpella operations, brings together participants from communities around its cement plants in Ibese, Okpella, Obajana and Gboko.
Speaking at the ceremonial kick-off of the Ibese edition, the Plant Director, Ayyagari Subbaraidu, said the initiative reflected the company’s commitment to the welfare and socio-economic development of its host communities.
Subbaraidu explained that the tournament represented an expansion of Dangote Cement’s social investment strategy, which traditionally focuses on education, healthcare, infrastructure and economic empowerment.
He said the company recognised the importance of young people in its host communities and the need to create productive platforms that would engage their energies, develop their abilities and expose them to opportunities.
“This football tournament is a new dimension of our social investment strategy, specifically designed to promote youth development, engagement and empowerment,” he said.
The plant director noted that the competition was not merely organised for entertainment but was intended to use sports as an instrument for building relationships, promoting unity and strengthening trust between the company and its host communities.
“Beyond football, the tournament is a proactive social investment initiative aimed at promoting peace, strengthening inter-community relationships, fostering unity and deepening trust between Dangote Cement and the host communities.
“While the teams may compete for the trophy, the bigger victory lies in the unity, friendship and mutual understanding we hope to establish and build. In the spirit of this, every community is considered a winner in this tournament,” he added.
At Ibese, no fewer than 17 host communities have been brought together to form eight teams for the competition, an arrangement Subbaraidu said demonstrated the ability of sports to break down barriers and encourage cooperation among communities.
He expressed optimism that the tournament would also serve as a talent-hunting platform, providing opportunities for the discovery and development of promising footballers from the grassroots.
According to him, the company believes that talented players capable of making national and international impacts could emerge from the participating communities if given the right opportunities and support.
“We believe that great talents can emerge from our communities and that this tournament will provide a platform for discovering and nurturing promising football talents who may eventually go on to shine on national and international stages,” he said.
Subbaraidu, however, urged players, match officials and supporters to prioritise discipline, fairness and sportsmanship, warning against violence, unnecessary confrontations and other actions capable of undermining the objectives of the competition.
He also appealed to spectators to support their respective teams responsibly and ensure a peaceful atmosphere throughout the tournament.
At the Okpella plant, the company’s Plant Director, Mohammed Ismaael, described football as a powerful instrument for bringing people together irrespective of their backgrounds, social status or community affiliations.
He said the competition would provide young people with an opportunity to interact positively, demonstrate their abilities and establish friendships beyond their immediate communities.
“Through this tournament, Dangote Cement is creating a platform for our young people to interact positively, demonstrate their talents and build friendships that transcend community boundaries.
“For us at Okpella, this is not simply a football competition; it is an investment in our youth, peaceful coexistence and the long-term partnership we cherish with our host communities,” Ismaael said.
The Okpella edition, like its Ibese counterpart, is expected to complement the company’s existing community development programmes by encouraging youth participation, grassroots sporting activities and stronger relationships among residents.
The simultaneous commencement of the competitions marks another dimension of Dangote Cement’s engagement with its host communities, with the company seeking to extend its social investment interventions beyond conventional development projects to include sports as a tool for social cohesion.
The initiative also underscores the growing role of grassroots sporting activities in youth engagement, talent identification and conflict prevention, particularly in communities hosting major industrial operations.
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