Taraba State has launched a tennis championship aimed at identifying and nurturing young talents, with Chairman of the State Youth Development Agency, Gara Soyonga, describing the initiative as a timely effort to channel the energy of young people into productive and rewarding pursuits.

The Taraba State Tennis Association, in collaboration with the Northeast Zonal Tennis Association, has launched a regional tennis championship aimed at discovering and nurturing young talents while steering youths away from crime, idleness, and other social vices.

The competition, christened the Dr. Agbu Kefas Northeast Tennis Championship, will feature boys and girls in the Under-12, Under-14 and Under-17 categories from across the six states of the North-East.

Organisers say the tournament which is the first of its kind in the region, is designed to identify promising young players, provide them with competitive exposure, and groom them to represent the North-East at national and international tournaments.

Speaking at the unveiling of the championship, President of the Jalingo Tennis Club, retired Brigadier General Ali Faransa, described the initiative as a strategic investment in the future of young people and a platform for rebuilding hope in a region long affected by insecurity.

“At a time when our region continues to face challenges of insecurity, opportunities like this provide a constructive platform for our youths,” he said.

According to him, sports remain one of the most effective tools for promoting peace, discipline, and social inclusion.

“By engaging our young people in sporting activities, we are investing in hope, discipline, friendship and positive values. Sports remains one of the strongest instruments for peacebuilding and youth development,” Faransa stated.

He expressed confidence that the championship would inspire more children across the Northeast to embrace tennis and take advantage of the opportunities the sport offers.

“We are confident that this championship will inspire many children across the North-East to embrace tennis as more young people discover the opportunities available through the sport.

“Through sports, we shall witness a reduction in idleness and social vices while raising a new generation of champions and role models,” he added.

Chairman of the Taraba State Youth Development Agency, Gara Soyonga, commended the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would redirect the energy of young people toward productive pursuits.

He pledged the agency’s support for programmes that promote youth development through sports and encourage greater participation among young people across the state.

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Taraba State Government, Gebon Kataps, said the championship reflects the government’s determination to unlock the immense sporting potential of the North-East despite the security challenges confronting the region.

According to him, the tournament is intended to expose young athletes to competitive tennis and prepare them to compete favourably with their peers from other parts of Nigeria and beyond.

“This is the first initiative of its kind in the North-East. Our goal is to begin grooming young players so they can compete favourably with their counterparts across the country who have enjoyed greater exposure over the years,” Kataps said.

He explained that the championship was named after Governor Agbu Kefas in recognition of his unwavering commitment to youth empowerment and sports development.

“This tournament is in honour of Governor Agbu Kefas, who graciously approved the use of his name because of his passion for youth development and sports. It is our hope that this championship will become an enduring platform for discovering and developing future champions,” he added.

The Taraba State Government said the championship marks the beginning of a renewed drive to revive competitive sports across the Northeast, expressing optimism that the region will once again emerge as a breeding ground for sporting excellence, not only in tennis but across other sporting disciplines.

The championship is expected to bring together young tennis players from across the North-East, with organisers expressing confidence that it will produce athletes capable of representing the region and Nigeria on bigger national and international stages.