By Jonathan Ettentuk
The oldest football competition in Akwa Ibom State, West Itam Football League will kickoff on Sunday, 3rd December, 2023 at St Ebuk’s Park, QIC Group School Nung Ukot Itam.
Sir Raphael Edem
The 34 year old competition will this year have a record of 18 Villages out of 19 gazetted villages registering for the competition.
The tournament has produced lots of football stars who have gone on to make a name for themselves internationally. Players like Emem Eduok of Hadjuk Split, who scored the first ever goal at the Nest of Champions and Ezekiel Bassey who played for FC Barcelona B were scouted at the annual tournament.
The curtain raiser will be played on Sunday with the WIFA Legends game.
Hostilities will resume on Monday as title holders Mbak Ikot Oku Itam will begin their title defense against 2019 winners Afaha Ube.
Mbak Ikot Oku won the trophy for the third time with a penalty shootout win over neighbors Ekit Itam 2 after the 90 minutes ended 1-1.
The tournament has been sponsored over the years by industrious sons and daughters of West Itam.
Rt Hon Idongesit Ituen
The magnanimity of Sir Raphael Edem, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. KufreAbasi Edidem, Hon. Idongesit Ituen, Obong Barr. Godwin Awah, Obonganwan Eduok, Dr Great etc have made sure that Itam League continues to grow in leaps and bounds. The Deputy Speaker also donated brand new jerseys to all the participating teams last season.
Last season, The WIFA President made sure that for the first time, all the participating teams got Consolation Prizes and this has been the reason for the upsurge of villages registering for 2023 edition.
The registered villages are:
GROUP A
Mbak Ikot Oku
Afaha Ube
Ikot Obio Atai
Ikot Ekang
Afaha Ubong Itam
GROUP B
Ekit Itam 2
Ikot Obio Enang
Ikot Abasi
Nwut Usiong
Ikot Ekwere
GROUP C
Ikot Ebom
Ntak Inyang
Mbribit
Ikot Obong Edong
GROUP D
Nung Ukot
Atai Ibiaku
Ikot Emien
Ikot Mbonde
Barr Godwin Awah
The most successful team in the history of WIFA Unity Cup is Ikot Abasi Itam with 4 titles to it’s name.
WIFA Unity Cup has been a uniting factor and a tool to the peace enjoyed by the people of West Itam in particular and Itu Local Government Area in general.