Nigeria’s Super Eagles player, Anayo Iwuala who plays for the Al-Arabi Football Club of Kuwait has joined the league of the country’s few internationals supporting grassroots sports back home.
The Imo State-born player has donated sets of branded jerseys to finalists of this year’s Super Four edition of the Anniversary Cup in Tarka LGA of Benue State, North-Central Nigeria.
Tarka Youth Stars Football Club of Wannune and the Netivitals Football Club of Tarhembe were the benefitting finalists of the 2025 edition of the five-year-old competition organised by an indigene of the area and Abuja-based journalist, Terverr Tyav.
Both teams were in action in the final of the tournament with their efforts yielding no tangible results at the end of regulation time just as in previous editions moving the decider into penalties.
In the end, the Netivitals Football Club of Tarhembe emerged the 2025 champions with 3-1 victory as Tarka Youth Stars Football Club of Wannune automatically settling for second place. Players of both teams were full of appreciation to Super Eagles player, Anayo Iwuala for supporting them saying this is the first time they will be receiving such donation from those they look up to as role models in their football career.
Earlier in the third place match, it was also a penalty shootout between City Boys Football Club of Wannune and Young Stars United Football Club of Agboughul with the Wannune side defeating the Agboughul club by 4-1 to clinch the bronze medal after 1-all draw at regulation time.
For the individual prize, Akor Atungwa Christopher of Netivitals FC of Tarhembe was the Most Valuable Player, MVP while Tyozua Solomon of Young Stars United FC of Agboughul was the Best Goal Keeper of the tournament. The Highest Goal Scorer was Iorhaa Isaac of Tarka Youth Stars FC of Wannune as Tarhembe Iornongu of Netivitals Football Club of Tarhembe emerged as Best Coach.
Chairman of Tarka LGC, Raphael Yenge and Chairman of Mbakor Day Organising Committee, Dr. Ezekiel Gundu were full of praises for the organiser of the competition, Terverr Tyav for the consistency that encourages the development of young talents at the grassroots. They also appreciated Super Eagles player, Anayo Iwuala for supporting this year’s tournament.
Yenge made cash donations of up to N500,000 for the champions and other participating teams along with the Local Organising Committee, LOC with
Terwase Akpera as chairman and Ugar Terseer, Iortyom Francis, Jembe Terhemen and Keghtor Tondo as members.
Five years of the tournament have had various teams emerge as champions. At the 2021 inaugural edition to mark the silver jubilee of Tarka LGA, the winner was City Boys FC of Wannune. They were dethroned by Tarka Youth Stars FC of Wannune in 2022, and in 2023 the Netivitals FC of Tarhembe emerged champions and lost to Federal Polytechnic Wannune FC in 2024 but have reclaimed the title this year.
Tarka LGA was created 29 years ago on December 8, 1996 by the military administration of late General Sani Abacha.
(Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
