When the Growing Seed rugby team of under 13’s come to Lagos, the Ewulu village lions roar.
Growing Seed under 13s heroes were undefeated in their first ever visit to Lagos, at the Grange School rugby tournament on 10th June in Ikeja, beating Corona School Agbara, 15-0 and Temple School 10-0.
Based upon their performance, Growing Seed under 13 rugby team were invited to enter the thrilling inaugural Ibudó Rugby Association Lagos schools 9 aside tournament at CMS Grammar School Bariga.
The most impressive U13 teams on the day were Dorcas and the Growing Seed invitational team from Delta State and Ewulu village whose schools do not have sporting facilities and where the parents and communities are very proud of their children’s achievements.
The Growing Seed Friends Foundation’s vision is to promote transformational community leadership through their rugby and farming programme. At Ukome Farm, Ewulu, Growing Seed implements an organic certification scheme. This conserves the environment and takes care of the soil on their 21 hectares. They grow nutritious healthy food for the community and plan a future community farming export scheme. The organic operation is a panacea for climate change, farming God’s way.
Mr Emeka Ukome, Director of Growing Seed, works closely with local schools at Ewulu, promoting rugby, and seeking sponsorship to support their five and ten year community development plans. They are developing an architect’s brief to design and build an integrated rugby club and world-class sports facility. This will act as HQ to manage a local village rugby league under the umbrella of growing Seed and a venue for visiting teams. Also, they plan to build an international organic farm research institute, with academic international specialist knowledge. This combined 4 hectare facility will be provided with a solar/wind turbine and electrical battery storage with satellite communications. This will project the Ewulu village community as an international hub of excellence and flagship for Nigeria.
Each child who participates in the Growing Seed programme is given the opportunity to flourish in sport. Mr Ukome is passionate in emphasizing the importance to children of education which is a catalyst for their participation in rugby.
So keen are the children at Growing Seed in playing rugby, that they exhibit a heart-felt passion, displaying natural talent and a shrewd grasp of the game. They look proud and smart in their sponsored kit. The requirement for the Ibudó tournament was that teams entering the U13s category were required to field a minimum of 2 girls.
The Growing Seed team fielded young MARVELLOUS OLISAMA who is only 10 years old and the youngest Lion in the competition. But one inspiring Growing Seed Lioness was a young lady, SOMOTO ONOCHIE, aged 11, who was arguably the quickest player on the pitch and instrumental in the Growing Seed team’s amazing performance and success.
In the tournament the Dorcas and Growing Seed teams topped their pools facing stiff opposition in closely contested semi-finals. Eventually meeting each other in the finals, it was a try-less match at full time with neither team able to break through the opposition’s defence. This resulted in a sudden death extra time play off, with an additional twist. A player was removed from the field from each team every 30 seconds until someone scored. Dorcas Memorial managed to come out on top and clinch the title with only 3 players remaining in each team.
Growing Seed congratulates Dorcas Academy and the Ibudó Rugby Association for the opportunity to participate. Growing Seed will hold their sponsored tournament at Ewulu in December to which schools in Lagos will be invited.
