Police Campaign Against Cultism To Immortalise Sam Okwaraji With Youth Football Tourney On 12 August

The Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) is set to partner with Match Makers Consult, Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Brand Football Ambassadors, Ministry of Women Affairs is set  to immortalise the late Sam Okwaraji with a football tourney tagged POCACOV/Sam Okwaraji Youth Football Tournament (male and female),

The tournament which holds on 12 August, 2020 is also in partnership with relevant football bodies and government at all levels as well as relevant stakeholders

CSP Ebere Amaraizu, the National Coordinator of POCACOV said that the event has become necessary as he wants the youths to look at the late Sam Okwaraji’s story of hard work, patriotism as well as selflessness with a view of embracing those good values and virtues.

To Amaraizu, “late Okwaraji exhibited the spirit of hard work and patriotism within his youthful age up till the time of his death.

“In late Sam Okwaraji as a youth, we saw patriotism, hard work, education and soccer. As a world class footballer and as a youth, he embraced academics and acquired his Masters degree in International Law, which showed that he never allowed his soccer ambition to deny or shut him out from educational pursuit.

“He also exhibited selflessness and patriotism as each time he is called upon, he comes to put in his best for his dear country at his own expense, what a patriot!

“Our youths should look at this late Sam Okwaraji’s story, embrace it and build on it in order to replicate the story of looking for what they can do for their country and not what their country can do for them.

“We are working out modalities in partnership with Matchmakers Consult, the owners of Nigeria Pitch Award, ex internationals, relevant football bodies and stakeholders. To start with, participants will be selected within the south east region.

“The tournament will be used to further deepen the campaign message of POCACOV and enhance oneness as well as those of late Sam Okwaraji’s legacies as mentioned,”

Late Sam Okwaraji died on 12 August, 1989 at the age of 25 years inside the main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos during the 1990 World Qualifying match between Nigeria and Angola.

POCACOV is the initiative of the Nigeria Police Force under Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar Adamu with the objective of saving the youths from the claws of cultism, thuggery, violence, substance abuse, sexual and gender based violence and other vices thereby promoting good morals and values amongst Nigerian youths for a safe and secured environment