From Jude Chinedu, Enugu

All roads lead to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, Sunday, October 12, as the third edition of the Boolu Ogbe Tournament officially kicks off, bringing excitement, community spirit, and a fresh wave of grassroots football action to the Coal City.

Sponsored by the Bet9ja Foundation, the highly anticipated tournament has become one of the most impactful grassroots sports initiatives in the South East, designed to discover, nurture, and showcase young football talents while promoting healthy sporting engagement across communities.

Speaking to journalists in Enugu ahead of the event, Emeka Offorah, South East Coordinator of the Bet9ja Foundation, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to using sports as a vehicle for youth empowerment and community development.

“Boolu Ogbe is a tournament aimed to hunt for talents and give back to society. The tournament started a few years ago by Bet9ja agents in the state, but after two years, the Bet9ja Foundation took over the funding and agreed to run it for five years. However, this is the third time the foundation is financing the tournament,” Offorah said.

“We are not looking at what we will gain but, as a corporate responsibility, trying to make the society feel happy and contribute to the development of sports in Enugu State,” he added.

Offorah also highlighted the tournament’s growing reputation as a breeding ground for professional players, noting that at least five players have been scouted by Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) teams from previous editions.

This year’s competition promises even greater excitement, with about 20 teams set to battle for glory. The stakes are high: the champions will take home N1 million, while the first runner-up gets N500,000, alongside several other consolation prizes.

Beyond the trophies and cash rewards, the Boolu Ogbe Tournament continues to foster unity, community pride, and hope, offering young footballers a stage to dream bigger and play their way into national recognition.