The 2023 Auto Spare Parts & Machinery Dealers’ Association (ASPMDA) Geo-Political Zone Unity Cup Championship Thursday, May 4, 2023, kicked off with a goalless draw between defending champion, G25 and OAU at the First Bank Sports Complex, Satellite Town, Lagos.
Speaking during the ceremonial kickoff, ASPMDA President, Hon. Ngozi Emechebe said he is happy that the championship is back and better with its vitality.
He said the essence of the championship is to discover talents amongst businessmen and help them grow in the art of football in Europe and other parts of the world.
While thanking the major sponsor, Chief Oliver Jacob (aka Chukol), Hon. Emechebe called on all participating zones and teams to see the championship as an ASPMDA Family affair and not a do or die affair.
Also speaking, the sponsor, Chief Oliver Jacob (Chukol), popularly known as ASPMDA Pillar of Sports, said he is highly humbled bankrolling the competition every year, noting that this year makes it the 10th anniversary of the Geo-Political Zone Unity Cup in ASPMDA.
He said his major target is to discover talents and use the championship as a key unifier in ASPMDA.
Continuing, he revealed different mouth-watering prizes coming with the ASPMDA Unity Cup.
According to him, whereas the overall winner will smile to the4 bank with N300,000, runners up will go home with N150,000. He also hinted that all participating teams will have something good to go home with even as there will be other cash prizes ranging from N80,000 to N50,000 at the end of the tournament.
In an interview with another key stakeholder both in ASPMDA and Trade Fair complex, Chief Nonso Okafor (Akusinachi Nnobi), he thanked the cup donor and advised ASPMDA members to use the championship as a unifier and further deepen the reigning peace in ASPMDA.
Earlier in a chat, the immediate former Interim Government General Secretary of ASPMDA, Hon Emeka (BB) Chukwueloka said “The yearly ASPMDA Geo-Political Zone Unity Cup has remained a talent haunting ground for our members who are gifted in the art of playing quality football and many of them have gone to Europe from this championship. For some time now, the tournament had been in the cooler, but with a leadership that is very much interested in youths development, it has been resuscitated. So, we are very happy its back to help our youths and also to return sporting happiness to ASPMDA in general.
Just as other group matches will continue next week, other personalities at the event included the current Chief Scribe of ASPMDA, Hon. Juventus Uche Okpala-Okaka (Onwerechukwu n’Aguata), the Financial Secretary, Hon. Iyke and a host of others.
