As the first edition of the Kingdom Unity Games (KUGA 2025) is set to kick off on Saturday, September 6, at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have topped the list of dignitaries expected to attend the opening ceremony of the week-long tournament.
This was disclosed on Thursday during a press briefing to herald the games. Addressing the press, the convener of KUGA 2025, Ambassador Solomon Omonokhua, said the Kingdom Unity Games (KUGA 2025) is an innovative tournament aimed at fostering unity and fellowship among Christians from diverse denominations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs through competitive sports. The event emphasizes peacebuilding, discipline, spiritual growth, and youth development.
He noted that General Musa, who is the chairman of the event, has been very passionate about the games because sports is one of the factors that can easily be used to curb insecurity in society. According to him, General Musa has assured the organizers that any event that will take Nigerian youths off the streets is welcome, and the Defence Headquarters will support it, even with its presence. He added that sports is a major unifying factor in Nigeria.
Ambassador Omonokhua noted that three sports will be competed for: football, basketball, and volleyball. He also noted that 32 teams – 16 football teams, 8 volleyball teams, and 8 basketball teams – will participate in the tournament, which will last for a week.
Ambassador Solomon Omonokhua, Convener of KUGA 2025 and representative of the Kingdom Star Sports International Foundation, described the event as a bold step toward discovering and nurturing young athletic talent within church communities across the FCT and beyond. “Our goal is to identify gifted young athletes who may otherwise go unnoticed,” said Omonokhua. “Through this platform, we want to provide them with exposure and opportunities to be scouted by local and international talent agencies.”
In collaboration with Celebrity Sports Magazine, the Games aim to establish a sustainable sports platform that connects youth to professional pathways while promoting peace and unity. He added that other dignitaries who will attend the event include the Governors of Plateau State and Taraba State, the heads of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Nigeria Volleyball Federation, and Nigeria Basketball Federation, as well as the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC).
Recall that the organizers of KUGA 2025 recently officially announced Engineer Joseph Ciroma as the Games’ Ambassador.”
Spark News reported that the event will kick off 3pm on Saturday and 2pm with red carpet