There will be pure emotion in the air when Ituen Starlets take to the Uyo Township stadium turf, today, Monday, to face Nigeria National League outfit Dakkada FC in a memorial match.
The match which is put together in loving memory of the late Jessie Idongesit Ituen who, until her unfortunate demise, was the wife of Honourable Idongesit Ituen – the Honorary Special Adviser (HSA) on Creative Industry to the Governor of Akwa Ibom state – will kick off at three o’clock in the afternoon with selected former and current players of the two sides expected to grace the occasion.
In a statement made available to journalists in Uyo, the HSA noted that the match was part of arrangements to pay last respects to the transited matriarch.
“My wife was a football lover. She demonstrated her deep-rooted love for football by supporting a lot of youngsters to pursue their career in the round-leather game. We have decided to honour her memory by putting together this match and my family and I are inviting our friends and relatives to kindly grace the occasion”, some parts of the statement read.
During her earthly sojourn, the departed Jessie was one of the brains behind the establishment of Ituen Football Academy which served as a veritable platform for the grooming of young footballers who ply their trade at various clubs within and outside the country, as of today.
Some of the players expected to feature in the match include Aniekan Ekpe – the legendary captain of Dakkada FC, Promise Harrison – Enyimba FC, Joseph Essien – former Golden Eaglets goalkeeper, Lucky Tom – Dakkada FC’s leading scorer for 2023/2024, among others.
