The maiden edition of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Football Tournament has kicked off in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
The initiative is aimed at promoting peace, unity, social cohesion and youth engagement across communities in the state.
The opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola, with teams from the central zone of Adamawa State participating in the competition.
Declaring the tournament open on behalf of the state Coordinator, Khalifa Lawan, the Branch Manager, Mal. Musa Hyeladi, said the competition is in line with the commission’s mandate of promoting peaceful coexistence, youth development and social cohesion across communities in the North-East.
Hyeladi described sports as an effective tool for productively engaging young people, discovering talents and building stronger relationships among communities still recovering from the effects of insurgency.
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“Sports is a veritable tool for engaging young people productively, discovering talents and building bridges across communities that are still recovering from the impact of insurgency,” he said.
He explained that the tournament is designed to achieve more than producing winners and presenting trophies, stressing that it would provide a platform for young people from different communities to interact, build friendships and strengthen peaceful coexistence.
“This football competition is not just about winning trophies. It is about unity, tolerance and giving our youths a sense of belonging.
“NEDC remains committed to initiatives that foster peace while promoting health, youth development and community resilience,” Hyeladi added.
The opening ceremony attracted representatives of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), sports officials, other stakeholders and hundreds of youths who witnessed the kick-off of the tournament.
The NEDC Adamawa State Office reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining youth-focused programmes that promote reconciliation, livelihoods, peace and resilience across the North-East in collaboration with development partners and relevant stakeholders.
