MFON PATRICK
The first-ever Akwa United indoor games organised by the management of the club for her players and officials ended on Sunday, September 6,2020 at the club house in Uyo.
The week long event which began on Saturday August 29, featured five (5) games namely; Table Tennis, Scrabble, Ludo, Draught and Ayo. At the draw ceremony conducted before the games, all the competitors were made to face their opponent in a knockout format.
In the grand finale of the games on Sunday, the club Chairman Elder Paul Bassey proved his mettle when he defeated the Welfare Officer Mr Asuquo Samuel by 404 to 288 points to emerge the champion in the game of scrabble.
Kits manager Mr Aniedi Isaiah produced some moment of magic to outsmart goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka in the game of Ludo to capture the first prize while Adewale settled as the runner up.
In the game of Draught, the Welfare Officer Mr Asuquo Samuel recovered from what could have been the biggest upset of the games to beat the Media Manager Mr Mfon Patrick by two games to one (2-1) to claim the first prize.
Former junior international and veteran goalkeeper Bassey Akpan was in the world of his own as he brushed aside all his opponents to emerge champion in the game of Ayo.
The highlight of the games was the final of the table tennis event between former club captain and now the chairman’s pilot Mr Austin George and the Camp Commandant Mr Anietie Christo.
Mr George advanced to the final after eliminating Coach Kennedy Boboye by two games to nil in the semi final while Mr Christo progressed with a win over the chairman.
After a tight opening to the game, Mr Austin George was quick to establish his authority mid-way into the first game and break into Mr. Christo’s serves to win the first set 21-13.
Mr George maintained the momentum in the second game and wasted no time in thrashing Mr. Christo 21-9 to emerge winner by two games to nil (2-0).
All winners were presented with a cash prize of Ten Thousand Naira each, while all beaten finalists received a cash prize of Five Thousand Naira each.
Addressing the players and officials at the end of the games, the club boss Elder Paul Bassey said he was impressed with the level of organisation and participation in the games by all staff and players.
“Let me use this opportunity to say a very big thank you to the organisers of this event for a job well done. The whole idea of these games was to keep us busy while still awaiting the resumption of football activities in the country. I thoroughly enjoyed myself while participating in the games, and I’m really happy to have won the Scrabble game. It was exciting and I want to believe that we all had fun.
“I wish to assure us that we will continue to engage ourselves in games like this as much as we can between now and when the league will resume” the chairman explained.
Akwa United players have been in camp since August 24 for profiling and the signing of relevant contract papers and attestation for proper registration ahead of the new football league season, following the need to renew some of the contracts that had elapsed when the league was officially cancelled by the organisers last month.