By Bridget Ikyado
Abuja – The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), says it is using sports to address youth restiveness, give them a sense of belonging and engage them positively.
Pastor Ezekiel Odeyemi, its Assistant General Overseer, said this on Monday in Abuja at the beginning of the 2022/2023 Abuja Region 10 Football competition.
According to him, RCCG has plans to establish a stadium to boost sports development and religious harmony in the country.
Odeyemi said that the Church had identified sports as a unifying factor that could bring youths together and mould them as future leaders.
He added that RCCG would invest in football to also keep unemployed youths out of the streets.
Pastor Babajide Akiode, Pastor-in-charge of RCCG Region 10, in a remark, said the Church would use the annual football competition to hunt for talents that would seek national honours.
Akiode said that involvement of the Church in sports had assisted in nurturing youths to excel in sporting activities.
He appealed to religious institutions to give more attention to sporting activities to complement spiritual growth of members.
The Region 10 Sports Coordinator, Pastor Ademola Adeyinka, also appealed to Nigerians to always engage in sporting activities for healthy living.
Adeyinka said that the winner at this year’s competition would represent Abuja at the national competition later in the year.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the 18 Provinces of the Church are participating in the Second Edition of the RCCG Region 10 Football competition.
NAN also reports that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabo, and the Villa Chaplain, Pastor Seyi Malomo, who witnessed the event, urged youths to participate in the games to boost mutual love and unity. (NAN/vitalnewsngr.com)
