As part of efforts to advance youth development, peaceful coexistence and stronger community ties, the Dangote Cement Plc has taken its social investment drive to the football pitch, kicking-off its maiden tournament simultaneously at the Ibese and Okpella Plants.

The tournament, fully sponsored by Dangote Cement, brings together young people from communities around the company’s cement operations in Ibese, Okpella, Obajana, and Gboko providing them with an opportunity to showcase their football talents while strengthening relationships across community boundaries.

During the ceremonial kick-off of the Ibese edition, Plant Director, Ayyagari Subbaraidu described the tournament as another demonstration of Dangote Cement’s commitment to the socio-economic development and wellbeing of its host communities.

He said the initiative represented a new dimension in the company’s social investment strategy, complementing interventions in its four key Corporate Social Investment thematic areas of Education, Health, Infrastructure and Empowerment.

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According to him, the company recognizes the strategic importance of young people within its host communities and the need to provide constructive avenues for their development and engagement. “This football tournament is a new dimension of our social investment strategy, specifically designed to promote youth development, engagement and empowerment,” Subbaraidu said.

“We recognize that young people constitute a significant proportion of the population in our host communities, and we consider it imperative to create meaningful opportunities for their engagement and development.”

The Plant Director explained that the competition was designed to go beyond the excitement of football by creating an inclusive platform through which young people could develop their talents, build relationships and channel their energies towards productive activities.

He added that Dangote Cement was also deploying sports as a proactive instrument for strengthening peaceful coexistence and deepening the company’s relationship with its host communities pointing out that “Beyond football, the tournament is a proactive social investment initiative aimed at promoting peace, strengthening inter-community relationships, fostering unity and deepening trust between Dangote Cement and the host communities,” he stated.

“While the teams may compete for the trophy, the bigger victory lies in the unity, friendship and mutual understanding we hope to establish and build. In the spirit of this, every community is considered a winner in this tournament,” he said.

At Ibese, 17 host communities have come together to form eight teams for the competition, an arrangement Subbaraidu said demonstrated the ability of sports to break down barriers and bring people together across community lines. He said the management is of the view that the tournament could provide opportunities for the identification of promising grassroots footballers who could emerge from the participating host communities and ultimately develop into players capable of competing at national and international levels.

“We believe that great talents can emerge from our communities and that this tournament will provide a platform for discovering and nurturing promising football talents who may eventually go on to shine on national and international stages,” he said.

He urged participating players and officials to embrace sportsmanship, discipline, fairness and mutual respect throughout the competition, warning against violence, confrontation and conduct capable of undermining the objectives of the tournament.

Supporters and spectators were similarly encouraged to conduct themselves responsibly and help create a peaceful and enjoyable atmosphere. “Let competition remain healthy and friendly. Avoid unnecessary confrontations, violence and actions that could result in injuries. I urge players, officials, supporters and spectators to conduct themselves responsibly and contribute to a peaceful and enjoyable tournament,” Subbaraidu said.

The Unity Football Tournament also kicked off at Dangote Cement’s Okpella operation as part of the broader community-focused initiative, with the company seeking to leverage the universal appeal of football to promote stronger relationships with its host communities.

Okpella Plant Director, Mohammed Ismaael said Football has a unique capacity to bring people together irrespective of community, background or social status. Through this tournament, Dangote Cement is creating a platform for our young people to interact positively, demonstrate their talents and build friendships that transcend community boundaries. For us at Okpella, this is not simply a football competition; it is an investment in our youth, peaceful coexistence and the long-term partnership we cherish with our host communities.”

The Okpella tournament reinforces the company’s broader objective of using grassroots sporting activities to complement its established community development programmes and create greater opportunities for young people to participate meaningfully in community life.

The competitions held simultaneously in Ibese and Okpella represent an expansion of Dangote Cement’s host community engagement approach beyond traditional interventions in education, healthcare, infrastructure and economic empowerment, adding sport as a vehicle for youth inclusion, talent discovery, peacebuilding and social cohesion.

Photo Caption: The Olu of Imasayi, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Lukman Olalekan Kuoye (centre), signs the match football during the opening ceremony of the maiden Host Communities’ Unity Football Tournament in Ibese.

Spanish football has been thrown into mourning following the death of CD Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, who died at the age of 30 after suffering serious injuries in a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during a second-division match.

Tenerife confirmed the player’s death on Tuesday, November 3, revealing that he died at 8:00 a.m. following complications from injuries sustained during the encounter.

The incident occurred towards the closing stages of the match, which was tied at 2-2, when Owono, an Equatorial Guinea international, rushed out of his goal and collided with De Miguel in the middle of the pitch.

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The goalkeeper was sent off following the incident, while the match was subsequently abandoned.

Spanish media reported that De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest after the collision and was resuscitated. However, Tenerife later announced that his neurological condition had deteriorated before he eventually died.

In a statement announcing the tragedy, the club expressed profound sadness over the loss of the striker and extended its condolences to his family, friends and supporters.

“Broken with pain, with a lump in our throat and unable to believe this is real, CD Tenerife announces the tragic death, at 8:00 am (7am GMT), of Jesus de Miguel Alameda,” the club said.

De Miguel joined Tenerife in the summer of 2025 from Castellon and had spent just over a season with the Spanish side.

Tributes have continued to pour in from across Spanish football, including former Barcelona defender and FC Andorra majority shareholder Gerard Pique.

“I am so deeply sorry. Rest in peace, Jesus,” Pique wrote on social media.

FC Andorra also expressed its condolences to De Miguel’s family, teammates and Tenerife, while Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and several other Spanish clubs sent messages of sympathy.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation equally expressed its grief, describing the news as deeply saddening and extending its condolences following the striker’s death.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has pledged the state government’s full support for the successful hosting of the 2026 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards.

Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance on Sunday after meeting with a CAF delegation led by Dr Christian Emeruwa, Project Lead for the CAF Awards and CAF General Assembly.

The governor said his administration would pay particular attention to security, logistics, branding and venue access to ensure a memorable experience for participants and visitors.

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In a statement shared on his social media account, Sanwo-Olu said, “Meeting with the CAF delegation, led by Dr Christian Emeruwa, Project Lead for the CAF Awards and CAF General Assembly, I assured them of our full support, with particular attention to security, logistics, branding and venue access.”

He described Lagos as a city with the energy and capacity to host major international events.

“Lagos is a city of talent, culture, enterprise and youthful energy,” the governor said.

He added, “We look forward to welcoming football leaders, stakeholders and visitors from across Africa and beyond, while showcasing our hospitality and ability to host major international events.”

The meeting comes as preparations continue for the continental football awards, which will bring together prominent figures in African football to celebrate outstanding performances and achievements.

The latest engagement follows the arrival of a 15-member CAF delegation in Nigeria on Friday, October 16, for a final inspection of facilities ahead of the awards and the organisation’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly.

The delegation, led by Emeruwa, was expected to assess facilities in Lagos and Abuja as part of efforts to evaluate the country’s readiness to host the two events.

The inspection also followed an earlier visit by CAF officials in August, when Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence in Lagos’s readiness to host the awards after a delegation inspected the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly known as the National Theatre, in Iganmu.

The 2026 CAF Awards are scheduled to hold in Lagos on December 7, while Abuja is expected to host the CAF Ordinary General Assembly on November 21.

The awards ceremony will recognise outstanding performances and achievements in African football, bringing together players, coaches, officials and other stakeholders from across the continent.