Organizers of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament tagged the Prosperity Cup, have concluded a one-day training for medical personnel ahead of the 2026 edition of the showpiece.
The exercise which was held at the Golden Tulip Apartments and Resort, Onopa Yenagoa had two sessions, practical and theoretical sessions.
The training for medical personnel is one of several pre-tournament capacity-building initiatives being put in place by the organizers of the tournament to prepare every department before the commencement of the competition. The training programmes started with the referees’ refresher training, followed by the training for Medics.
An FC Barcelona/Prosperity Cup International Coaching Clinic is scheduled to hold on Monday, February 23, with the Match Centre Coordinators and Media personnel training, coming up immediately after.
While speaking at the opening ceremony of the medical personnel training, Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Dr. James Omietimi, said the training was apt because it would prepare medics with the basic rudiments.
He commended the organizers of the tournament for strengthening every department with the requisite skills before the commencement of the tournament, pointing out that the medical department is an essential part of sports.
In his remarks, former member of the CAF Medical Committee, Dr. Peter Singabele, who is currently the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission, BYSIEC, gave the organizers the thumbs up, for their yearly innovations, stating that the continuous innovations have shown that the Prosperity Cup being tagged the biggest grassroots football tournament in the nation was not a fluke.
Chairman of the Bayelsa State Football Association, BSFA, Barr Poubeni Ogun, who was represented by the Secretary of the Association, Mr. Diseye Nwankwe, likened the exercise to the save-a-life initiative by the Nigeria Football Federation NFF, describing the programme as “massive”.
The resource person, Dr Iteido Noel Orukari, an Emergency Medicine Specialist at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, highlighted the principles of emergency management which is anchored on the acronym (ABCDE) which means “Airways maintenance”, “Breathing Assessment”, “Circulation and Bleeding Control”, “Exposure” and “Environmental Control”.
Dr. Orukari equally enumerated the common sports emergencies which include sudden cardiac arrest, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, fracture dislocation, sprain and strain, head injuries and concussion, spinal injuries, and bleeding.
He explained that for emergencies to be prevented in sports, players must undergo pre-participation medical screening, Adequate warm up and hydration, protective equipment, proper coaching and conditioning as well as an emergency action plan in place.
Dr Orukari appreciated the organizers of the tournament for the training, adding that it is capable of averting emergencies when the competition commences.
Some of the participants, Diete Spiff Michael, Gift Preye, a student of the Federal University, Otuoke, Biu Victoria Oyintokoni, a nurse, all said the training programme was refreshing, maintaining that they are ready to discharge their duties with utmost professionalism.
They appreciated the government and the organizers of the tournament for the laudable initiative, adding that the exercise has exposed them to what they are expected to face during the tournament.
The medics training programme is organized in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Sports Development.
