Rivers State’s sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), congratulated the state-owned Rivers Angels Football Club on retaining the President Federation Cup Women’s championship.
Rivers Angels won the title for the tenth time, defeating Nasarawa Amazons 4-2 on penalties in the finals at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos on Saturday.
Speaking to journalists following the victory, Ibas, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, expressed satisfaction with the feat, which he termed as unprecedented.
This was reiterated in a statement published in Port Harcourt on Saturday by Juliana Masi, Head of the SSG’s Press Unit, and distributed to journalists.
He stated, “This is absolutely unprecedented. There’s nothing like it. We are proud as Rivers men and women that our girls can put up such a feat, and we are proud as a government.
“His Excellency, the Administrator, sent me here to encourage the girls at this final. So I think it’s a wonderful thing. It’s a great feeling, and there are no words to describe it.
“Before the match, I also conveyed His Excellency’s best wishes to the team.
”I told them that the Rivers State Government is very proud that you are even here in the finals and that if you do your best, you can be absolutely certain that the Rivers State Government is going to recognise you”.
The SSG conveyed the administrator’s promise of N50 million on win and used the avenue to encourage Team Rivers athletes who won medals during the 2024 National Sports Festival to remain coordinated, saying the government is working on redeeming the pledge to athletes who won medals.
The team manager of the Rivers Angels, Mrs Matilda Otuenne, thanked God and noted that the team has been dedicated and hard-working to achieve the feat.
Rivers Angels’ previous triumphs were in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2024.