Edo Boys High School and Emotan College emerged the winners in the boys and girls of the 4th edition of the Ehibam Schools Rugby TOURNAMENT held on Friday 1st December 2023 at the Edo Boys High School, Adolor in Benin City.
The One day Schools Rugby TOURNAMENT which started by 1pm due to the fact that the schools had just started their examinations saw a new winners when the host Edo Boys High School pipped the defending champions Iyekokpa Grammar School by just one point 31 – 30 points in the overall table points to lift the giant prestigious floating Ehibam trophy for the first time and EMOTAN COLLEGE defeated Idia College to reclaim the trophy. It was a huge celebration for them as the newly appointed Principal of the Edo Boys Senior Secondary School Mrs Christy Ebewele who coincidentally is an In-Law to our own legend “Juju Man” Late Brown Ebewele who brought the beautiful game of Rugby to Edo State through “Mr Rugby” Ntiense Williams, who have since made Edo State the new home of Rugby in Nigeria. She had just assumed office and notwithstanding her busy schedule took time off to grace the occasion.
It was yet another sweet victory for EMOTAN COLLEGE in the girls category who snatched the new trophy when they defeated their arch rival and neighbors Idia College who were the defending champions by 36 points to 32 points to lift the new Ehibam floating trophy girls category in grand style.
Daniel Ehigueneh of Iyekokpa Grammar School won the Most Valuable Player for the boys, whilst Favour Enotor of Emotan College won the MVP for the girls category respectively
Meanwhile, the youngest and adorable 13 years old JS1 Obazee Eguavoen of Iyogbe College was a site to behold as he thrilled the crowd with his beautiful sidesteps was recognized and appreciated by the initiator of the Ehibam Griefshare Foundation Pastor Dupe Irele.
We will like to sincerely thank the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission Mr Yusuf Ali and the entire management team for their full support and encouragement of the Tournament and Rugby in the State.
The invitational Rugby TOURNAMENT had four boys and girls schools as follows Boys
1st = Edo Boys High School
2nd =Iyekokpa Grammar School
3rd = Ihogbe College 4
th = OGBE Secondary School
Girls
1st = Emotan College
2nd =Idia College
3rd = Imaguero College
4th = Edo Technical College
According to Pastor Dupe the initiator of the Ehibam Schools Rugby TOURNAMENT, “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 know 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 Normal” life.
According to Dupe, “In his lifetime, Ehisieme was an ardent Rugby player and devoted his time to training children in the game. It is in fulfilment and continuation of this passion that the Foundation decided, at the persistence of Mr Ntense Williams “Mr Rugby” an ardent lover of the game, to partner with the Edo State Rugby Association in developing the game of Rugby in Schools”.
The Foundation is therefore proud to be associated with this project in memory of our son Ehisieme.
According the Organiser of the event Ntiense Williams, “This tournament has greatly assisted Edo State to be a National Champion in Youth Games Rugby events and in extension the Open Championship as well, like the recently completed National Women Sevens Rugby Tournament which Edo State Female Team won in grand style and made history as the only team to have played and won all games without conceding a defeat or any point against!”
Said he, “We will like to sincerely thank EHIBAM GRIEFSHARE Foundation for keeping faith with the development of School’s Rugby in Edo State and look forward to more sponsors to help promote the beautiful game of Rugby in Edo State and Nigeria in extension.
