Last weekend, OMJ SOCCERFEST 2025 was successfully launched in a colourful manner. This event was anchored under the theme, “Harnessing Talents for a Sustainable National Development.”
OMJ SOCCERFEST is an annual sporting event that brings predominantly the youths of Akuapem South Municipality and such other corners of Ghana together to compete in football competition. The project is purposed to impact local nationals who have talents but lack the exposure to draw near their individual career fortunes, which, by extension, contribute to national development.
Since its inception in 2023, OMJ SOCCERFEST has lived two past editions. The first edition hosted 6 towns, and the second, 12 towns with Konkonuru emerging winner of both editions. This year, which happens to be the 3rd, is reckoning 24 towns, covering virtually the entire Akuapem South enclave. The fiercely contested Zonal Qualifiers happened in the first weekend of June 2025, seeing twelve towns booking their spots to the finals, to be hosted in Obodan.
Major stakeholders recognised by association football, teams, community leaders, and the media, among others, trouped in to the event venue at Arrow Events and Pub Annexe at Aburi. The show embraced other dignitaries of high importance such as Mr. Kenneth Boakye , The Akuapem South District Football Assocition (DFA) Chairman who praised the organisers for bringing Akuapem football to the limelight.
Delivering the Keynote Address, he espouses the impacts this will print in the lives and memories of many who have qualified to partake in what is seen as a well-organized colourful event. He advocated for more like-minded sports enthusiasts like OMJ to join hands to unlock, uplift, and nurture the potentials of young football talents.
The Founder and CEO of the OMJ Foundation, Mr. Osei Mensah Joseph admonished the audience to try and help one another in every way they can, especially the vulnerable in society. From a poor background, he draws inspiration from how difficult and challenging life was growing up. He stressed, ” You can help with your little! Don’t wait to be excessively rich before you start. Our foundation is established with a clear purpose: To positively impact generations through the act of giving back to society.”
The CEO reiterated his commitment to continually use football to impact the youth of his area. Thus, OMJ SOCCERFEST has come to stay. Mr Osei made time to walk the audience through the awards scheme for the tournament. The biggest is a deal sealed to fly the Most Valuable Player (MVP) to Turkey, Europe, to continue his football career.
Team awards like trophy, medals, football boots, sets of jerseys, and cash prizes were announced aside other individual awards. This merited a big cheer from sharers.
The draw saw some tipped favourites, like 2-time champions, Konkonuru in Group B together with close neighbours Kitase and Gyankama. Other Groups were A: Obodan (host), Dago, Ahwerase; Group C: Obotweri, Aburi, Nsakye, and; Group D: Oboadaka, Pokrom, Kwame Ntow.
Ladies, for the first time in SoccerFest will lock horns in a bare-knuckle cooking competition. 6 towns paired in three groups will engage in the battle of cooking traditional Akuapem local foods.
Again, the winning team will make away some beautiful prizes home to crown the competition.
The big event for the OMJ SoccerFest’25 is slated for August 2nd and 3rd, 2025 with reporting time, 6:30 am to 5:30 pm each day.
All are cordially invited to come witness the next big thing in the Eastern region of Ghana.
