The Minister of State, Petroluem Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has thrown his weight behind the football tournament named after him.
At a meeting held in his house in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State at the weekend, the former Senator who represented Bayelsa West Senatorial District expresses delight with the organisation of the tournament in his honour and pledged to ensure the Local Organising Committee (LOC) gets all necessary assistance to make it a huge success.
Chairman of the LOC, coach Meinkeme Fekete, in a statement was full of praise for the minister for allowing the football tournament to be named after him.
“We are grateful that Senator Lokpobiri has assured of total support in organising a hitch free tournament but we are not surprised at his disposition because he’s a grassroots man committed to the growth of his community,” coach Fekete said.
The football tournament, scheduled to hold on January 30, 2024 will see 60 villages participating where 25 players would be picked to play two friendly matches against the Flying Eagles of Nigeria and the Cameroon U-20 team in Cameroon to honour Nigeria former international, Jossy Donbraye, the first player to score a goal at Cameroon at the Ayije Stadium, Cameroon, where his statue was built.