Founder of the Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament, Dr. (Mrs.) Betsy Obaseki, has disclosed that the tournament is poised to continue beyond her tenure as First Lady of Edo State. Dr. (Mrs) Obaseki made this declaration during a press briefing held at the Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City, to mark the kickoff of this year’s edition. The Edo First Lady who emphasized that the competition will endure, relished the partnership with reputable organizations and individuals committed to funding the initiative post her tenure in office. “Today, the Edo Queens are ranked number one in the country and will soon represent West Africa. This is the value the tournament has delivered, providing young girls with opportunities to engage in sports and pursue careers in this field,” she stated. Currently, seven players from the Edo Queens are part of Nigeria’s senior women’s national football team, the Falcons, which Dr. Obaseki referred to as her “pet project” during her time as First Lady of the state. She hinted that the Bendel Insurance and the Edo Queens have become reference points in sports in Nigeria, consistently excelling and winning trophies in various competitive events. Dr. Obaseki noted that the Betsy Obaseki Women’s International Football Tournament, is privately sponsored with the goal of empowering young women in sports. She further revealed that international organizations have shown support, resulting in the tournament’s recognition on a global scale, with two countries set to participate in this fourth edition. Additionally, the Edo governor’s wife announced an increase in cash prizes for participating teams this year. The winning team will receive N10 million, the runner-up N7 million, the third-place team N5 million, and the fourth-place team N3 million. All other participating teams will receive N750,000 each. She also paid tributes to the former governor of the defunct Bendel State, Brigadier Samuel Ogbemudia, for his investments in the sports sector, and praised Governor Obaseki’s administration for revitalizing the state’s sports infrastructure, echoing a return to that glorious era.
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