Henry Nwosu Cup Gets Date, Financial Boost, As Six Villages Jostle For Glory In 2024/25 Edition

Joseph ODOEKWU

The annual Henry Nwosu Cup organized in honour of former Green Eagles star, Henry Nwosu, an indigene of Naze who was the youngest player in the squad that won Nigeria’s first ever AFCON in 1980 is set to kick-off with a date officially released.

According to an official statement coming from the organizers, Naze Football Federation (NFF) and released on the Umuakali Football team platform by Mr. Paschal Ajoku, the event is set to kick-off on December 20th, 2024 at the Naze Secondary School while the final will be played on January 1st, 2025.

The six participating villages which are Umuorie, Umuakali, Umuosu, Umezuo, Ezeakiri and Okpuala will all be jostling for a final spot in the event, while the event which kicks off on December 20, 2024 will begin with an opener between Umuorie and Umuosu.

On December 21st Umuezuo will lock horns with Ezeakiri, while Umuosu and Okpuala will clash on December 22nd. Ezeakiri will face Umuakali on December 23rd, while Okpuala will host Umuorie on December 24th before the final group fixtures between Umuakali and Umuezuo on December 26th.

The semifinal will take place on the 28th and 29th of December, 2024 before an All-Stars match involving players from Ihu-Ahia and Azu-Ahia will take place on December 30th, before the final match comes up on January 1st, 2025.

The success of hosting this edition after missing out on some is ascribed to one of Naze’s sons Mr. Nacho Urewuji, whose philanthropic role did not just provide financial boost for the event to hold, but also donated pairs of jerseys to the six participating teams in the tournament.  

Organizers have also appealed for co-sponsors, to give the event which is said to be one of the social events that makes the Christmas season memorable for Naze sons and daughters a memorable event.