Charles Ogundiya 
The founder and initiator of the annual Betsy Obaseki Women’s Football Tournament, Edo State First Lady, Betsy Obaseki, on Monday morning during a press conference heralding the Fourth edition of the competition in Benin, Edo State capital, said her vision was to see a European women club gracing the tournament in the nearest future after admitting two Benin Republic teams in this year’s edition.
Aigle and Espor of Benin Republic were the two additions to this year’s tournament, giving it an international flavour. She added that the desire to make the FIFA recognised preseason event may take a different dimension if the new government of the day openly rejected and gave the event a cold shoulder.
The First Lady said the vision was to continue improving on what was achieved in the previous editions hence the current improvement on the prize money from the N5m was started with the current prize money of N10m.
Mrs. Obaseki noted that the private partnership event status gave the BOWFT the freedom to become a well-organised international football championship which the event is today with the involvement of the two international clubs in attendance.
She hinted that FIFA recognition had been a priority since the second edition of the tournament when she was invited to the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, to receive an award for the great organisation of the event.
