By Saheed Afolabi
The maiden edition of the Ifeanyi Chiejine Memorial Cup is set to hold in Asaba, Delta state on the 15th of December 2022.
The tournament is used to immortalize and celebrate the former Super Falcons player and a member of the 1999 squad, Ifeanyi Chiejine, who while alive was a great personality who dedicated her life to the development of women football in Nigeria.
Speaking to the Press, the covener and founder of the Ifeanyi Chiejine Memorial Cup, Ex international, Judith Chime said the reason the tournament was founded is to immortalize Ifeanyi Chiejine because she was the youngest in the 1999 squad of the Super Falcons at 16 years.
Judith Chime who’s a former Super Falcons goalie, added that the Ifeanyi Chiejine Memorial Cup will be used to develop women’s football in Nigeria and scout for more Chiejines from the amateur and grassroots teams.
“Ifeanyi Chiejine is not a name to be forgotten so easily and quick. As most people know now, Ifeanyi was the youngest player among us. She was 16yrs when she played for the Super Falcons and she was recognized as a Legend but wasn’t present to be celebrated. My last conversation with Ifeanyi was when l was coming home for the burial of my beloved mom, Ifeanyi asked me to come and see her, and l promise her that l was going to come see her after my mom’s burial but to my greatest shock, she died same day l was laying my mother to rest. To me it is personal, because whenever l think about my mom, Ifeanyi Chiejine would be there.
“I also remember a time when one of her sister told me ‘please don’t allow my sister’s name to be forgotten’ and l said l will try not to but l never thought about how or what to do until now.
“It is the right thing to do, to immortalize this name because the young ones do not know most of us and a girl child is never celebrated the way it should be. So l am begging all the mother’s, father’s, uncles, friends, Government personnel’s to assist us in making this a reality. If not for anything but for humanity. All l am asking is for my father’s land to show some respect and join me and my team in immortalizing this great legend Ifeanyi Chiejine because she deserves it. Ifeanyi Chiejine gave her life to this country from the age of 16 and died at the age of 36 without any child nor husband and all l ask is to immortalize her name so that this event will be placed every year to keep the name alive in our heart.”
“With this tournament, we hope to find another Chiejine which will be difficult but we are hopeful. This tournament is to develop the amateur players from the grassroot. Nigeria has great talents, we plan on recruiting for colleges abroad and also planning on inviting scout to the event. Ifeanyi Chiejine once had the opportunity of studying abroad but she chose to come back despite all that was said to keep her in the state. So we think another player could be spotted for same opportunity.”
