The female volleyball team from Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State has emerged champions of the second edition of the Nonye Soludo Volleyball Competition, held at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.
Idemili South defeated the Njikoka Local Government team in a fiercely contested final that kept spectators thrilled from start to finish.
The competition, initiated by the Wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo, is designed to discover and nurture budding volleyball talents across the state.
Earlier in the day, the Anaocha Local Government team beat Aguata Local Government Area to secure third place.
Individual awards also highlighted outstanding performances. Stephine Nwadinobi of Idemili South emerged as Best Attacker, while Cynthia Uzuegbunam of Njikoka won the Best Setter award.
Chinecherem Nwazupu of Anaocha was named the Most Valuable Player. Njikoka was adjudged the Best Behaved Team, while Aguata received the Best Coach award.
Commending the coordinators, players and officials, Mrs Soludo described the competition as impressive and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to encouraging and identifying raw talents at the grassroots.
In support of volleyball development, Mrs Soludo presented cash prizes of ₦750,000 to Idemili South for winning the competition, ₦500,000 to second-placed Njikoka, and ₦250,000 to Anaocha, which finished third.
Resilience and discipline
The Chairman of the Anambra State Sports Commission, Mr Patrick Onyedum, and the Mayor of Idemili South Local Government Area, Mrs Amaka Obi—represented by Valentine Mbadugha—praised the resilience and discipline of the players.
They attributed Idemili South’s victory to consistent training and the impact of the Anambra State Sports Development Initiative (ANSSI), a programme of Governor Chukwuma Soludo aimed at strengthening the sports sector.
The Head Coach of the Anambra State Volleyball Team and Coordinator of the Nonye Soludo Volleyball Competition, Uche Okafor, said a total of 36 matches were played, with four teams from the state’s four zones advancing to the semi-finals.
Okafor expressed concern that many talented players from Anambra State currently represent other states at major national competitions.
He appealed to the Sports Development Commission and the state government to address the issue through improved remuneration and welfare.
Speaking shortly after the games, a Njikoka player and on-air personality, Chiamaka Okeke, alongside the captain of the Idemili South team, Favour Ani, thanked Mrs Soludo for the initiative, which they said has brought volleyball talents in the state into the spotlight.
They also appealed for better allowances and greater recognition to enable them proudly represent Anambra State at national competitions.
