The National Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, Chief Sheriff Mulade, has unveiled a N50m grassroots peace and sports initiative as he inaugurated the Local Organising Committee for the 2026 Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup.
Mulade said the tournament, jointly organised by CEPEJ and the Africa 4 Peace Sports Academy, is designed to promote peace, unity and cultural integration among Delta State’s seven major ethnic nationalities through football.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held on Tuesday, the peace advocate described the competition as a strategic intervention aimed at strengthening peaceful coexistence, empowering youths and fostering mutual understanding across communities.
He said the initiative would bring together youths from the Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, Aniocha/Oshimili, Ika, Ndokwa and Urhobo ethnic groups under the theme, “One in All.”
According to him, the tournament goes beyond football, serving as a peacebuilding platform to break ethnic barriers, deepen friendship among young people and encourage dialogue, tolerance and cooperation.
“The competition is not just about winning trophies. It is a peacebuilding project that will unite our youths, promote cultural exchange and strengthen relationships across ethnic divides,” Mulade said.
He explained that the championship would feature four age categories—Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-20—to encourage broad participation and identify emerging football talents across the state.
Mulade disclosed that winners would receive multi-million-naira prizes as part of efforts to encourage healthy competition and inspire greater youth participation.
He urged members of the 25-man Local Organising Committee to carry out their responsibilities with transparency, professionalism and dedication to ensure the success of the competition.
The CEPEJ coordinator also called on traditional rulers, government agencies, corporate organisations, development partners and community leaders to support the initiative, stressing that collective efforts were needed to sustain peace and development in the state.
He noted that peaceful coexistence remained critical to attracting investment and creating economic opportunities, adding that the initiative aligns with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s vision of building a peaceful and prosperous Delta State.
Mulade expressed optimism that the Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup would evolve into one of the state’s flagship grassroots sports and peacebuilding programmes.
The event featured the inauguration of the 25-member Local Organising Committee, with former Super Eagles midfielder Edema Fuludu named as adviser, while former Delta State Football Association chairman Amaju Pinnick was announced as chairman of the LOC.
Football kits for the participating ethnic teams were also unveiled and inspected ahead of the tournament.
The 2026 Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup is expected to bring together young people from the state’s seven major ethnic nationalities under the slogan, “One Delta. One People. One Victory.”
