First MFM Youth Games Kicks Off

Over 1,000 athletes and officials from 17 merged regions are competing in six sports as the first Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Youth Games started at Mountain Top University on Monday.

The competition includes football, basketball, athletics, table tennis, scrabble, and chess. Athletes will compete in these events over the next few days.

The games opened with a grand ceremony that featured a football match between Mountain Top University and MFM Ministries. Mountain Top University won the game 1-0.

In his opening speech, Dr Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, was represented by Pastor Kunle Adesanya, a Senior Regional Overseer and Assembly Pastor from the International Headquarters. He said the competition would help young athletes show their talents.

"This is refreshing for the participating athletes. This allows them to showcase the gifts that God has given them while making people happy and also making themselves happy.

"When there are competitions like this, you will see them coming out with the best of their gifts. This is also a kind of evangelism.

"This will also prove that they can excel in sports and that will be a blessing not only to them but to the generation. We need champions in this country, and that is the level we expect them to reach."

Godwin Enakhena, the Director of Sports at MFM Ministries and a veteran journalist, talked about the goals of the competition. He said finding talents is the main aim of this initiative.

"In football, we are looking for another Wilfred Ndidi. We all know that Wilfred is a product of MFM from the beginning. In basketball, we are looking for kids to join the MFM basketball team.

"In athletics, we are looking for athletes like Ese Brume, Tobi Amusan, and Divine Oduduru. We have had a table tennis academy running for the last 10 years, so we are looking for the next Atanda Musa. We also know the masters of scrabble and chess, so we hope to keep our youths busy in profitable ventures and make them useful for Nigeria."

Professor Olurotimi Olurin, the Director of Sports at Mountain Top University, also shared his excitement about the university's role in the competition. He said the university initially planned to help organize it but decided to participate as well.

"When Mr Enakhena told us about the MFM Youth Games, I thought we were only going to help with the organizing. But we thought about participating too. I asked my Vice Chancellor for the students to come around and join the games, even though they are on break, and they are here."

On the facilities for the competition, Olurin said, "In terms of facilities, it is all thanks to the General Overseer of MFM Ministries. He has always shown that youth is part of his focus."

For some participants, the games are a big chance to test themselves competitively for the first time. Table tennis player John Chibuike, who is playing in his first major competition, said he hopes to impress enough to be discovered during the games.

"I hope to make it to the top. I know that the General Overseer is passionate about talent discovery, and I hope to be among those who will be discovered here.

"I will be very glad to make it here because I have been playing casually before, so this is my first major competition."