The Ehibam Griefshare Foundation will be hosting the 4th edition of the Edo State Schools Rugby Tournament on Friday, December 1 in Benin City.
The Foundation has over the last 5 years partnered with the Edo State Rugby Association in the Ehibam Schools Rugby Tournament slated for 10 am to 4pm
According to the initiator, Pastor Dupe Irele, “We had a return to the field after the disruption caused by the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020. As such, to revive the program, the Ehibam Griefshare Foundation decided to help provide the basic Rugby Equipment (Rugby Balls) to kick start the program after the pandemic in 2021 and a subsequent tournament last year”.
She said, “The Rugby Balls Presentation Ceremony was the Foundation’s way of reassuring the future of the program with its continued support and partnership in its activities going forward. The Ehibam Schools Rugby Program was launched in 2018 to encourage the sport of rugby among the young boys and girls from both primary and secondary schools in Edo State.”
Pastor Dupe continued, “The wind behind the sail of the foundation is Late Ehisieme Alonge who was an ardent Rugby Player in the United Kingdom who spent a lot of time nurturing the young children in the beautiful game of Rugby. To this end we look forward to the Ehibam Schools Rugby Invitational Tournament this year on the actual birthday of Late Ehisieme Alonge who passed on in the United Kingdom at the age of 35, on the 10th June 2015.
“The foundation, with the push of the Edo State Head Coach and workaholic Ntiense Williams popularly known as “Mr Rugby” and his hardworking team of Coaches will this year be organising an invitational 4 female and 4 male teams Championship.
“We remain keen in our desire to work closely with the Rugby Association and by extension the Edo State Sports Commission in the development of Rugby as a sports for the social and physical promotion of the welfare of students in Edo State.
“The vision of Ehibam Griefshare Foundation is to provide a helping hand to those in grief/mourning and help them to a ‘New Norma’ life.”