The Cross River State Football Association (CRSFA) has commenced preparations for the 2025 edition of the Governor’s Cup with a renewed emphasis on grassroots football and local government participation.
The Chairman of the Association and former member of the House of Representatives, Apostle Essien Ayi, disclosed this during a press briefing in Calabar on Tuesday, following a well-attended pre-season seminar held on Monday.
Ayi stated that the level of engagement observed at the seminar signalled a growing commitment among council authorities to sports development.
He noted that vice chairmen of several local government councils responsible for sports were in attendance, describing the turnout as the most impressive in recent editions.
He announced that the draws for the tournament were concluded earlier in the day and grouped into four centres to allow wider participation and rotational hosting among the 18 local government areas of the state.
In Group A (Akpabuyo Centre) are Boki United, CocoGiant of Etung, Yala United, and Bekwarra United. Group B (Ikom Centre) features Leopard FC of Calabar, Ugep Crackers, Abi Waves, Atlantic Warriors of Bakassi and Akpabuyo United. Group C (Calabar Centre) includes Black Cats of Ogoja, Obubra United, Ranch Pillars, Hilltop Obudu, and Ekabokom Stars of Ikom. Group D (Ogoja Centre) has Atlantic Warriors, Yakurr United, Biase United and Akamkpa United.
The competition is scheduled to begin on November 15. It will culminate in the finals on December 15 at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, before the stadium’s closure for carnival activities.
Ayi emphasised that the tournament would this year strictly feature teams from local government areas only, noting that privately owned clubs have been excluded to return the competition to its original grassroots purpose.
He added that all participating teams will receive branded jerseys bearing their council identities and the Governor’s Cup insignia.
He also warned that the FA would enforce zero tolerance for hooliganism, indiscipline and biased officiating throughout the competition. “This is a unifying tournament. Any team or supporter group involved in misconduct will be sanctioned. We want the best team to win on merit,” he stated.
First Vice Chairman of CRSFA, Mr. Greg Abang, explained that limiting the competition to council teams aligns Cross River with the practice in other states where governor’s cup tournaments serve strictly as platforms for local government representation and grassroots scouting.
Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports Development, Lawrence Etta, emphasised the importance of council chairmen investing in their teams and supporting youth development.
He said the Governor’s Cup has historically produced players who have gone on to play at professional and national levels, urging a renewed commitment to nurturing young talent.
With the draws now confirmed, the stage is set for a month-long spectacle of community football engagement, rivalry and talent discovery across Cross River State.
In other news, the Cross River State Government has taken its student reorientation campaign to public secondary schools, warning against rising cases of drug abuse, social vices and career confusion among teenagers.
The campaign began with an educational orientation summit held at Government Secondary School, Barracks Road, Calabar, with the theme: “From Distractions to Distinctions.”
Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Orientation, Afufu Anthony, stated that the initiative was initiated following Governor Bassey Otu’s directive to ensure that character formation and moral awareness begin early.
He noted that similar enlightenment engagements had already been conducted in tertiary institutions across the state.
Anthony said the outreach seeks “to reformat poor orientation and install a better mindset,” stressing that unchecked exposure to peer pressure, drug use and misguided behavioural influences could derail students from academic excellence.
He maintained that the state is committed to raising students who are assets to their families, communities and society.
A representative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Eyo-Effiong Okon, who addressed the students, warned that drug addiction often begins with casual experimentation.
According to him, many young people who struggle with substance dependence “never planned to become addicts, but started with ‘just trying it’.”
