By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
A Niger-Delta activist, and National Coordinator, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade, on Thursday, August 22, 2024, inaugurated a 10-man local organising committee, LOC, for the Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Football Tournament created to promote peaceful co-existence among ethnic groups in Delta Central and Delta South Senatorial Districts of the State. 
The tournament is scheduled to commence on November 16, 2024, at Ode Itsekiri, and it will serve as one of the activities to mark the United Nations International Day of Tolerance, on Dec. 7, 2024.
Chief Mulade, a Niger Delta Peace advocate, in his speech at the ceremony held at the CEPEJ’s Africa for Peace Centre in Ugolo-Okpe near Osubi, noted that this year’s event, the fourth in the series, would have Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha, as Chairman of the 10-man organizing committee.
He disclosed that the competition had been expanded to accommodate more ethnic groups unlike in the past when it involved only Itsekiri and Ijaw ethnic groups.
Comrade Mulade who is the Chief Executive Officer of CEPEJ, said this year’s football competition would now accommodate Itsekiri, Ijaw, Isoko and Urhobo ethnic nationalities to foster peaceful coexistence among the people of Delta Central and South Areas of the State.
According to him, “this programme is our contribution to promote peaceful coexistence among the people of Delta State. We expanded it to accommodate Isoko and Urhobo people to create a peaceful environment for the government to develop all parts of the State.”
He disclosed that the Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, would kickoff the expanded Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup football tournament at Ode-Itsekiri as the Royal Father of the Day. He added that the star prize winner would smile home with N2m, runners up with N1.5m, third place winner with N1m, and the fourth would bag N500,000, totalling N5m.
Responding on behalf of the Committee, the Chairman of Delta State Sports Association, Hon. Kenneth Nwaomucha commended Mulade for his initiatives and efforts in the previous years, and urged members of the committee to put in their best towards the success of the unity football tournament.
CEPEJ’s Chairman, Board of Trustees, Dr. Godwin Orhadahwe, urged the media to give wider publicity to the tournament, and mobilize stakeholders to the event through in-depth analysis and advocacy, towards achieving the purpose for which it was instituted.