Ezekiel Awojide
Benue governor, Hyacinth Alia, on Thursday night hosted Benue-born international football star, Francesca Ordega, and gifted her N50 million and a three-bedroom apartment in Makurdi metropolis.
Presenting the gifts during the dinner in Makurdi, Alia described Ordega as the greatest sports ambassador the state had produced in recent times.
Ordega was among the Nigerian team that won the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) hosted by Morocco.
The Gboko-born international footballer has won the competition for a record five times with the national team.
Alia also promised to rename a major street after her.
The governor also gifted N10 million to the coach who nurtured Orderga in Benue to become an international footballer.
He congratulated her for the outstanding performance she put up during the competition and encouraged talented young girls to emulate her resilience.
“Today we are singing the nation’s common song of victory with one of us. With the one whom God has chosen and elected to represent us.
“The one who has been the great ambassador of this state in sports in the last five victories of the WAFCON.
“She is truly an inspiration to everyone. She is an inspiration to all the young ladies coming up to play. I invite parents to allow their daughters to get into the field.
“Here is a great shining example of once you allow them, guide them, and they are coached, tomorrow we shall all go to the national and come back to the state to celebrate them. I want all of us to encourage our young ladies to do sports,” he said.
In her remarks, Ordega expressed gratitude for the support from the state and Nigeria, and called for stakeholders to collaborate in sports development and infrastructure.
Ordega also urged the State to support grassroots sports development to harness the next generation of champions in the country.
“Let’s support sports development. Let’s invest in sports infrastructure, training programmes, and talent identification initiatives by providing our young athletes with the resources they need.
“We can actually harness the next generation of champions and promote education. Education is the foundation of any prosperous society.
“We can create scholarship programmes for young girls who excel in sports directly by ensuring that they have access to quality education while pursuing their dreams,” she said.
Ordega further urged Benue youths to embrace peace, love for one another, and support the Governor to succeed.
Also, Mr Innocent Idibia aka TuFace, Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach, commended the Governor for supporting entertainment and sports.
Idibia also used the opportunity to announce the upcoming Benue Wild Talent Hunt Show with a N50 million star prize.
He disclosed that his office was also working hard to organise inter State carnival.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) also presented a special award to Gov. Alia in appreciation of his support for Nigerian football.
