By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
A youth group in Bauchi State has organised a Ramadan football competition to promote unity among youths in the state while celebrating the achievements of oil and gas executive, Bala Wunti.
The tournament, known as the Bala Wunti Ramadan Cup, is aimed at bringing together youths from across the state and providing a positive avenue for engagement during the holy month of Ramadan.
Speaking at the kick-off of the competition in Bauchi, the organiser of the event, Malam Usman Yau, said that the initiative was first introduced in 2025 to foster unity among youths from the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
Yau said that the competition was also designed to highlight the accomplishments of Wunti, who has spent about three decades in the oil and gas sector.
He noted that Wunti’s professional journey continues to inspire many young people in the state to pursue excellence in their chosen careers.
Chairman of the second edition of the tournament, Mr Anas Umar, said that eight teams drawn from different parts of the state are participating in the competition.
Umar explained that professional players were barred from the tournament to ensure fairness among the teams, adding that the matches would be played throughout Ramadan, starting with a round-robin group stage before progressing to knockout rounds.
According to him, the winning team will receive ₦250,000, bags of rice, medals and trophies, while the runner-up will go home with ₦150,000, medals and trophies.
Umar said that individual awards would also be presented to outstanding players during the tournament.