As peace returns to Ihiala Local Government Area in Anambra State, Uli Community has launched its 2025 Fresh Air Ifechidelu Youth Cup, marking the first major community sports festival in over five years.
For more than half a decade, communities in Ihiala were plagued by violent attacks from gunmen, resulting in numerous deaths and widespread arson. Last month, local youths took decisive action to reclaim their towns, paving the way for the festival in Uli.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, festival sponsor Engr. Kingsley Chidubem explained that the name Fresh Air symbolizes the renewed life and peace returning to the community after years of horror and sorrow.
“You are aware of what our community has endured at the hands of these miscreants for over five years. Today, peace has returned to Uli and other communities, and this sports event is our way of celebrating that victory,” he said.
Chidubem added that the festival is a youth football tournament open to boys and girls in Uli, with prize money of N1 million for the boys and N800,000 for the girls. He highlighted that it also offers an opportunity for football scouts to identify young talents.
Gen. Chikeluo Iloenyosi, Chairman of the Anambra Football Association and former Super Eagles international, who chaired the event, commended the festival as a unifying initiative for the community’s youth.
“Looking at the joy on people’s faces, it is clear that peace has returned to this town. I am proud to say that Anambra State is safe, and the days of gunmen captivity are behind us, thanks to the efforts of the state government and the local youths,” he said.
Festival Director Mr. Enzor Uzo Nzeribe revealed that the tournament will continue through the Yuletide season, culminating in grand finals that will mark the first Christmas in the area without fear or apprehension in five years.
“The people of Uli are peace-loving, and having liberated our town from the gunmen, we celebrate through this youth sports festival. We encourage everyone to return home and participate in this historic occasion,” he said.click on Read Original,if you are reading from phoenix to read full article
The Fresh Air Ifechidelu Youth Cup promises not only a platform for sporting talent but also a powerful symbol of resilience, unity, and the restored peace in Uli and the wider Ihiala Local Government Area.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
