Orange Mobile Company in Sierra Leone through its Orange Money unit has climaxed Okada Man Football Tournament at the newly renovated Murray Town playing field.

The final was between the District Monitoring Officer’s Bike rider’s team (DMO) and Thunder Hill Bike riders from the East End of Freetown. The tournament started with 8 Bike rider teams from different parks across Freetown from the East End of Freetown to the Western of Freetown.

Mohamed Jawad Nyallay the lead organizer of the Orange Money Okada Man Tournament said it was a tournament that Orange Money put together to promote the Bike Riders who they think are integral within the Society, especially in Freetown that is why they decided to organize the tournament for some of biggest parks in Freetown as their means of transportation many people relied on it in doing their daily movement in the Capital City Freetown. He noted that 8 teams from the biggest park took part in the five days tournament.

He affirmed that the Price money for the entire tournament was 100 million Leones for the three stages in the Maiden Edition of the tournament, in which (Le 50,000,000.00) million Leone goes to the Winners and thirty- Millions Leones to the runners-up, and twenty million go to the third place position.

He added that hopefully there are plans for the tournament to continue annually because Football tends to foster peace among young people, noting the first edition has brought them all on board and it has been peaceful for the past five days and there is the possibility of getting the next edition and there is also a possibility of extending it to get more team’s and also making it to be bigger by getting more countrywide reason being the first edition has been successful.

He further that the tournament has brought unity among the Bike riders, and they are also looking forward to engaging them with the brand.

The director of BMO, Bai Kamara said as a team they did not feel good to lose the final in post-game penalties but noted that he appreciated his boy’s performance throughout the tournament, from the start they were outstanding and made it through to the finals, adding that this is the first time for him to coach a team that has made it to the final.

Though he was not expecting to lose it even though they were having a one-man advantage in finals, his boys failed to make use of their final third and they were not clinical in front of the goal.

He further that, the team is going back home to prepare for the next edition and hope to maintain the squads together and fight back in the next edition, he thanked Orange Mobile Company for organizing the tournament and for also thinking about them in their Cooperate Social Responsibility in the country.

Eric Bangura the adviser and head coach of Thunder Hill Bike Riders park said it was not easy for them in the finals.

They had to play the entire match with a man down in the early first half till the post-game penalties, noting that because his players were well organized and they had played defensive Football though out the match tactics help them greatly because the side they play was a trained side.

He added that as a team they feel happy to have worn the maiden edition of the Orange Mobile Company Okada Riders Football tournament, and they are proud to lift the Champions Trophy.

Eric Bangura thanked Orange Mobile Company for thinking about them and the role they have been playing in Freetown.

At the end of the tournament, the organizers presented cash prizes, Trophies, and medals to the winning team, the runner-up team, and the third-place team as well. There was a fun and joyful mood from all the Bike riders and spectators that witness the finals.