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The dusty pitch dreams of young footballers in Gboko came alive on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025, when the grand finale of the first-ever “Alia The Better Football Tournament” produced a deserving champion and a loud message: the youths of Benue are ready to be engaged positively.
In a tension-soaked encounter at RCM Primary School field, Ikyumbur-Mbatyav, Township FC delivered a masterclass to defeat Aur FC 3-2 and lift the giant trophy presented by the Executive Chairman of Gboko Local Government, Barr. Torseer Yina.
The Principal Special Assistant to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Protocol and Wardrobe, Hon. Emmanuel Terungwa Iorbee, who single-handedly sponsored the entire competition, said the tournament was his own way of channeling the restless energy of Gboko youths into something productive while preaching the gospel of the Alia administration’s youth-focused policies.
Speaking at the colourful closing ceremony, Hon. Iorbee praised Governor Alia for creating an atmosphere where private individuals can confidently invest in youth development without fear of political interference. He urged the teeming Gboko youths to rally behind the administration and demand more sports facilities, skills programmes, and empowerment schemes.
Third-class traditional ruler of Mbadim, His Royal Highness Iorfa Kyargba, commended the organiser for giving young people a sense of belonging, noting that “a football pitch is sometimes cheaper and more effective than a police station in keeping youths away from crime.”
Dignitaries including Gboko Youth Leader Darkman, former youth leader Mr. Aliyu Nomishu, councillors, and hundreds of football lovers who thronged the venue hailed the competition as one of the best organised grassroots tournaments in recent years.
As Township FC players hoisted the trophy amid wild celebrations and the runners-up smiled through their disappointment with envelopes of prize money, one thing was clear: when leaders remember the youths and give them something to cheer, the entire community wins.
Hon. Iorbee has promised that the second edition will be bigger, with more teams and better prizes. For now, Gboko is still buzzing, and the message “Alia The Better” has found a new anthem on the lips of excited young people who now believe tomorrow can indeed be better, one goal at a time.
