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EMOTAN COLLEGE AND IYOGOGBA GRAMMAR SCHOOLS WIN FIRST EHIBAM SCHOOLS RUGBY TOURNAMENT

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Emotan College, Benin has beaten their arc city rivals and host, Idia College by 10 to 5 points in a crunchy encounter to win the girls category of the first Ehibam School’s Rugby Tournament and carted away the gold medals and the giant floating trophy.

 

New entrant Iyokogba Grammar Schools, surprised everyone when they defeated hard fighting Ihogbe College by 20 to 10 points in the battle of the titans to win the boys category of the championship.

Meanwhile, Miss Becky Odiri Smart popularly known as “Crayfish” of Idia College and Master Arebamhen Cornelius nicknamed “Pensioneer” of Iyokogba Grammar School were adjudges the Most Valuable Players for the girls and boys respectively and were rewarded with a beautifully customized miniature trophy.

The colourful event which was full of entertaining display of beautiful running and crunchy tackles rugby was a cynosure of all eyes in and around the School vicinity especially with the melodious sounds from the DJ Stumps!

According to Ehibam Griefshere Foundation the sponsors of the championship was launched last year in Edo State.

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According to the founder of the Foundation Pastor Dupe Irele, “The Ehibam Griefshare Foundation was set up three years ago in memory of my beloved son Ehisieme Osarieme Ehi Alonge who passed on at a tender age of 35years in England on his way to work. He was a diehard Rugby player and Coach especially for his local Rugby Team and the kids of his neighborhood!”

Said Pastor Dupe who could not be physically present at the event due to the fact that the Foundation is also organising another celebration in Lagos on the same weekend to mark his 40th posthumous birthday, but was ably represented by Dr Sunny Amafua who is also a diehard grassroot sports mobilizer reiterated the fact that the Foundation which is involved in assisting grieving family overcome their trying time has decided to give back to society through Ehi’s love – “Rugby” and in his home town of Edo State.

The Foundation used the opportunity to specially and formally congratulate our Edo State Girls Rugby team who did us proud by winning the Gold Medal at the recently concluded National Youth Games at Ilorin which Ehibam Griefshare Foundation graciously played its modest role by donating two giant trophies for the most disciplined teams in Rugby for both the male and female categories.

Meanwhile Imaguero College defeated St Mariah Gorroti Secondary School by 5points to nil to win the third place and the bronze medals in the girls category, whilst Edo Boys defeated Asoro Grammar School by 20 points to nil to win the boys third place match and the bronze medals.

The Edo State Sports Commission through the Rugby Association thanks the Ehibam Griefshare Foundation for helping in the development of Sports and Rugby in particular with Edo State being the pioneer for this championship sponsorship.

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According to the coordinator of the event Ntiense Williams who is the Head Coach of the Edo State Rugby Association,  “Eight Secondary Schools were selected for this first edition of the Ehibam Schools Rugby Tournament namely:

 

Boys

1. Edo Boys High School, 2. Asoro Grammer School, 3. Iyokogba Grammar School, and 4. Iyogbe College

Girls

1. Emotan College, 2. Idia College, 3. Imaguero College and 4. St Mariah Goretti Secondary

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Said he, “The standard of play was very high especially as the students tried to impress their Coaches for future selection into the State Rugby Team for the next National Youth Games and possibly for the forthcoming 20th National Sports Festival which Edo State as host has graciously included Rugby as an optional sports after ten good years of it’s  absence from the sporting fiesta!”

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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