All set for Edo State Schools Rugby Tournament

The fourth edition of the Edo State Schools Rugby Tournament is set to begin on Friday 1st December 2023 at the home of Rugby in Edo State.

According to Obong Ntiense Williams a head coach, Ehibam Griefshare Foundation will be hosting the tournament at  Edo Boys High School, in Benin City from 10am – 4pm.

The Foundation has over the last five years partnered with the Edo State Rugby Association in the Ehibam Schools Rugby Tournament.

According to the initiator Pastor Dupe Irele, “We had a return to the field after the disruption caused by the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020,  As such, to revive the program.

“The Ehibam Griefshare Foundation decided to help provide the basic Rugby Equipment (Rugby Balls) to kick start the program after the pandemic in 2021 and a subsequent tournament last year”.

Said She, “The Rugby Balls Presentation Ceremony was the Foundation’s way of reassuring the future of the program with its continued support and partnership in its activities going forward. The Ehibam Schools Rugby Program was launched in 2018 to encourage the sport of rugby among the young boys and girls from both primary and secondary schools in Edo State”.

Pastor Dupe continued, “The wind behind the sail of the foundation is Late Ehisieme Alonge who was an ardent Rugby Player in the United Kingdom who spent a lot of time nurturing the young children in the beautiful game of Rugby. To this end we look forward to the Ehibam Schools Rugby Invitational Tournament this year on the actual birthday of Late Ehisieme Alonge who passed on in the United Kingdom at the age of 35, on the 10th June 2015”.

The foundation, with the push of the Edo State Head Coach and workaholic Ntiense Williams popularly know as “Mr Rugby” and his hardworking team of Coaches will this year be organising an invitational 4 female and 4 male teams Championship.

We remain keen in our desire to work closely with the Rugby Association and by extension the Edo State Sports Commission in the development of Rugby as a sports for the social and physical promotion of the welfare of students in Edo State.

The vision of Ehibam Griefshare Foundation is to provide a helping hand to those in grief/mourning and help them to a “New Normal” life.

According to Dupe, “In his lifetime, Ehisieme was an ardent Rugby player and devoted his time to training children in the game. It is in fulfilment and continuation of this passion that the Foundation decided, at the persistence of Mr Ntense Williams “Mr Rugby” an ardent lover of the game, to partner with the Edo State Rugby Association in developing the game of Rugby in Schools”.

The Foundation is therefore proud to be associated with this project in memory of our son Ehisieme.

According the Organiser of the event Ntiense Williams, “This tournament has greatly assisted Edo State to be a National Champion in Youth Games Rugby events and in extension the Open Championship as well, like the recently completed National Women Sevens Rugby Tournament which Edo State Female Team won in grand style and made history as the only team to have played and won all games without conceding a defeat or any point against!”

Said he, “We will like to sincerely thank EHIBAM GRIEFSHARE Foundation for keeping faith with the development of School’s Rugby in Edo State.  There will be two floating trophies for the winning teams of both boys & girls team. There will also be Medals for the best 3 teams in both boys & girls categories and there will be two prizes for the MVP and Highest Try Scorers to celebrate the occasion.”

PREVIOUS WINNERS

* Emotan College & Asoro / Correctional Staff School (LAUNCHING) – 2018

* Emotan College & Correctional Staff School – 2019

* COVID 19 PREVENTED THE TOURNAMENT in 2020

* REVIVED THE PROJECT WITH DONATION OF RUGBY BALLS – 2021

* Idia College & Iyekogba Grammer School – 2022

Here is wishing all of us a great injury free tournament.