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2026 Jos South LG Chairman’s Cup: *Hon Dung Reiterates commitment to Reviving Sports in the LG*
The Chairman of Jos South Local Government Council, Hon. Silas Patrick Dung, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to reviving grassroots sports development with the launch of the 2026 Jos South LG Chairman’s Cup.
Speaking during the official draws ceremony held at the Conference Hall of the Local Government Secretariat, Hon. Dung described the football tournament as a fulfilment of one of his campaign promises aimed at restoring sporting activities within the council area.
The council chairman, who welcomed the Deputy Chairman of the Council, Secretary, Supervisory Councillors, councillors representing the 20 wards of Jos South, football stakeholders, sports administrators, directors, staff of the local government and members of the press, apologized for arriving late to the event, noting that the importance of the tournament compelled him to attend despite other official engagements.
According to him, football was deliberately chosen as the starting point for reviving sports because of its unifying power and ability to energize other sporting activities within the local government.
“This tournament was one of our campaign promises. The idea behind it is to revive sporting activities that have been in a comatose state within the local government,” he said.
Hon. Dung assured stakeholders that his administration would also invest in improving sports facilities to accommodate other sporting events in the future.
He commended the presence and support of the football authorities, including the PFA Chairman Hon Suleiman Yahaya Kwande and his officials, despite the short notice given for the draws ceremony.
The chairman emphasized that beyond competition, the tournament is designed to promote peace, unity and youth development across Jos South.
“This competition seeks to restore the glory of sports in Jos South and also unite our people so that we can continue to live peacefully together. If there is any sport that has united people across the world throughout history, it is football,” he stated.
Recalling his experience as a participant in the Chairman’s Cup during the mid-1990s, Hon. Dung said the competition once served as a pathway for talented young footballers to pursue professional careers, adding that his administration intends to recreate such opportunities for today’s youth.
He noted that scouts would be invited to discover outstanding players during the tournament, expressing hope that some participants could secure opportunities in clubs competing in the Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), and even international academies.
The chairman also clarified that the tournament was not politically motivated, stressing that the initiative was solely designed to benefit residents and strengthen unity within the local government.
“This tournament has no political undertone. We are not organizing it for political gain. We are doing it because our people deserve to benefit from something they genuinely believe in,” he added.
Hon. Dung further appealed to coaches and participating teams not to import players from outside their wards, urging them instead to develop and showcase local talents.
He also advocated for the revival of local government football competitions across Plateau State, suggesting that teams that emerge champions at local government tournaments should directly qualify for the Governor’s Cup rather than assembled teams being registered arbitrarily.
The Jos South council boss concluded by officially announcing the opening fixture of the competition.
According to him, the opening match of the 2026 Jos South LG Chairman’s Cup will take place on May 25 at the Bukuru Mini Stadium between Gyel A and Gutsy United, with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m. prompt.
He expressed optimism that the tournament would be conducted peacefully and successfully from start to finish while fostering unity and talent discovery across the local government area.
Credit: Nathaniel Mobolade
Chairman thank you Sir for the revival