Rehoboth, SGH FC win 20th annual Bishop Mike Okonkwo football tournament

This year’s annual Bishop Mike Okonkwo football tournament ended on Saturday, August, 30, 2025 with Rehoboth FC and SGH FC winning the men and women categories respectively.

In an entertaining finals decided at the Digital Bridge Institute formerly NITEL playground, Oshodi, Lagos. Rehoboth who are two time winners of the tournament defeated Honey Bargers FC by a lone goal to be crowned winners of the tournament.

Both teams went into the finals determined to outdo each other, but it was a goal from Samson Jonathan in the early minutes of the first half that separated the two teams as Rehoboth held onto the goal till the end of the encounter.

In the female category, SGH FC popularly known as the ‘Amazons’ came from a goal down to defeat Wasbak FC by 3-1 penalties after their game ended 1-1 at the end of the full 90 minutes.

Also in the novelty match played prior to the finals, Young Men Fellowship of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission ( TREM) recorded a 2-0 victory over the Pastors of the Church.

Speaking while presenting trophies and medals to the winning teams, Bishop Mike Okonkwo expressed happiness with the successes recorded since the inception of the tournament just as he commended the Local Organizing Committee for doing a great job.

” I’m really excited with the successes recorded since the competition started about 20 years ago. Through this competition, many talented players have been discovered and many of them are now playing top football which gives me joy.

” It’s equally important I commend the LOC for doing a good job. What they did this year is superb and I want to give kudos to them because they performed excellently well”, said the Man of God.

In his remarks , Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the tournament, Deacon Malachy Ndubuzor commended all the teams that participated in the tournament for their spirit of sportsmanship and exhibiting good football artistry to the delight of the fans

He expressed happiness that the biggest grassroots football competition in the country is growing in leaps and bounds, promising that they’ll continue to maintain the standard the championship is noted for .

Former Vice President of Nigeria Football Federation, Barrister Seyi Akinwumi who was one of the guests at the finals, describing the tournament as one of the few grassroots football tournaments in the country where the real ages of players are used and referees apply the rules to the fullest appealed to other religious bodies to emulate Bishop Mike Okonkwo and organize more of such tournaments.

At the end of the four months competition, cash prizes, trophies and medals were presented to the winners. There were also awards for most valuable player, best goalkeeper, best attacking team, best defensive team, and the highest goal scorers.

The tournament was also used to mark the 80th birthday of Bishop Mike Okonkwo, the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).