The ìnnitiator and founder of the Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament, the First Lady of Edo State Government, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has declared that, no matter the political situation in Edo State, not minding the change of government from the PDP to the APC, Edo State will still remain the bedrock and the true homeground of the Betsy Obaseki Women Football Tournament.
Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, who made a surprised appearance at the Draw Ceremony of the biggest preseason women’s football tournament in Nigeria in the last four years, midway into the event in the Edo States Government House’s Festival Hall, Benin City, noted with a warning that, the desire to make the FIFA recognised pre-season event may take a different dimension if the new government of the day openly rejected and gave the event a cold shoulder.
She noted that, such retrogressive move may force the event’s board of trustees to move the BOWFT out of Edo State to another welcoming venues like Lagos, Bayelsa and others as host of the championship since the event is a private partnership-owned one under the Betsy Obaseki Women Foundation.
Mrs. Obaseki, noted that , the private partnership event status gave the BOWFT the freedown to become a well organised international football championship which the event is today with involvement of two international clubs in attendance.
She stressed that, the elevation of the total prize monies to N30million as the champion’s prize money at N10million, second place at N7million, third place at N5million and fourth place at N3million, with each of the 10 consolation prizes at N750,000, has made the Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament a proper FIFA standard tournament.
She hinted that, the FIFA recognition had been a priority since the second edition of the tournament when she was invited to the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, to receive an award for the great organisation of the event.
“I want to use this opportunity to say thank you to members of the Organising Committee, the board of Trustees, the women’s football clubs and all those who made the tournament a huge success in the last four years. We say thank you to Edo State for being the host in the four years and this likely to change.
The 4th edition of the Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament will officially flag of at the Main Bowl of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City on Monday, with other preliminary group match going at the Western Boys High School, Ikpoba Hills and the University of Benin Sports Complex.
The tournament preliminary group games have been broken into four groups, groups A to E with Group A made of Edo Queens, FC Robo and Remo Ladies tagged as the group of death. Because of the presence of three tough teams.
Group B has Bayelsa, Brave Hearts Fc of Benin City, Naija Ratels and Espoir Fc of Benin Republic.
Group C has Nasarawa Amazons, Confluence Queens of Lokoja and Abia Angels.
While Group E has Heartland Queens of Owerri, Fortress Ladies of Benin City, Delta Babes of Asaba and Aigle Royale of Benin Republic.
