Government College, Eric Moore, secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Iponri High School on Sunday, November 24, to claim the title at the Femi Gbajabiamila U-16 Football Competition in Surulere, Lagos.
The final match, held at the Mini Stadium in Abalti Barracks, was attended by a large crowd, including students from various schools in the area.
Government College showcased their dominance, scoring twice in the first half and adding a third goal in the second to seal their triumph.
In the third-place match, Obele Community High School edged out Zumratul Islamiyyah High School 5-4 in a dramatic penalty shootout after a goalless draw during regular time.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, reaffirmed the government’s dedication to nurturing young talents.
The governor also lauded Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, for his steadfast commitment to youth development and for leveraging sports as a catalyst for societal progress.
“As a government, we are deeply committed to nurturing the potential of our youths. This competition aligns with our goal of promoting education with sports and youth engagement,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Gbajabiamila, in a pre-recorded message, appreciated and commended a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliott, for putting the tournament together.
He also commended the players for their participation.
The chief of staff, who noted that he had been following the matches and display of skills, said the nature of his job didn’t allow him to participate physically.
“We have discovered a lot of talents from the first blow of the whistle. I congratulate the winners and the runner-up. Surulere means so much to me. Say no to drug abuse, be conscious of the environment and make sure you take your education very seriously. Education is very important,” he said.
Also, Desmond Elliott, representing Surulere Constituency I, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, said that the competition was designed to support the well-being and engagement of students despite socio-economic challenges.
He added that by 2025 Surulere would have a full football league.
The lawmaker noted that the tournament had enabled the discovery of so many talents, adding that it also engaged students on the dangers of drug abuse, cybercrimes, cultism, bullying, and inter-school fights.
“Time is now for us to begin to engage our youngsters. They are the future of tomorrow. We cannot leave everything entirely up to the government.
The Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu, described the tournament as “Really fantastic and remarkable. He thanked Gbajabiamila and Elliott for intervening in sports development.
“This is a tactical and strategic way of diverting the attention of our young people away from wrongdoings. So this is an opportunity to unleash the inherent potential in our young people.
“There’s no better way, or better avenue, to catch them young, to get the best talent out than in schools and various communities,” Fatodu said.
According to him, from the preliminaries to the final stage, the commission has been able to identify about 35 exceptional players who have the potential of getting to the highest level of their football career.
One of the lead sponsors of the tournament, Afolabi Aiyela, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited, described the competition as an excellent idea. He said Welbeck was committed to bridging education and sports.
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“We are a friend of the state. It’s good to encourage the youth. We need to do more of things like this. And we need more participation from the private sector,” Aiyela said.
Tope Omisanya, the coach of Government College, said that the victory was not surprising as the school had been winning football competitions even outside the state.
On the other hand, Bisiriyu Ganiu, the coach of Iponri High School, admitted that his team lost to a better side.
“Nothing went wrong with our side. We lost to a better tactical team. Their tactics and cohesion were more than our own,” he said.
Government College received ₦N500,000 as the tournament winner, while second-placed Iponri High School and third-placed Obele Community High School received ₦N300,000 and ₦N200,000, respectively. A total of 16 schools participated in the tournament.
