The Chairman, Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Mr Eni-Uduma Chima has stressed the need for Nigerians to use sports to promote peace, love and  brotherhood, especially among people living in the rural  communities.
Chima spoke yesterday at Ekoli Ukwu community in Edda,  Afikpo South Local Government Area,  at the grand finale of the Ekoli Ukwu Unity Football Competition.
According to him, sports, especially football competition serves as a uniting factor which provides people the platform to come together, associate and create a common bond that could be harnessed to promote unity among people from different socio-cultural backgrounds.
He said that the Ekoli Ukwu Unity Football tournament which began some 28 years ago, had provided a platform to foster unity, peace, love and oneness among the 24 villages that make up the community.
He said that the tournament had served as a source of talent discovery, noting that many hidden soccer talents had been discovered through the football event.
“The football tournament is what every indigene of Ekoli Ukwu looks forward to December of every year and it has helped in discovering many football talents from the area.
“Every village in the community participates in this epoch making competition, which has grown from good to better and has endured for 28 years since it was inaugurated.
“The football event is a uniting force which has provided a platform for our people to come together in love, in unity and in peace, irrespective of economic or social status, “ Chima aid.
Chima,  the sole sponsor  of the football competition since 2007, commended the football teams for their peaceful conduct during the 13-day soccer event and extolled the organisational dexterity of the organising committee.