The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PRINCIPALS’ CUP

  • Pakoto High School, Iko Gateway Win Ogun Principals’ Cup

    Pakoto High School, Iko Gateway Win Ogun Principals’ Cup

    Pakoto High School, Ayede-Ifo and Iko Gateway Grammar School, Idiroko, on Thursday emerged champions of the male and female categories of GTBank Ogun State Principals Cup played at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto in Abeokuta.

    Pakoto High School, lead by talismanic captain Abu Joseph defeated Ipara Community High School, Ipara-Remo 3-2 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 in regulation time to win in the boy’s category of the 5th season of GTBank Principal Cup.

    Abu Joseph, 14 scored a fantastic qualizer from the left corner late in the first half and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2017 edition.

    Speaking after the medals presentation, Kayode Ogunleye, head coach of Pakoto, said that his team won because they were determined to win the trophy in front of the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, who was in the packed stadium with his wife Olufunso to support the school teams.

    2016 winners in the Female catergory, Muslim High School, Isolu could not successfully defend their title as they also lost 3-2 on penalties to Iko Gateway Grammar School after the game had also ended 1-1 in regulation time.

    Tolulope Kayode opened scoring for the former champions in the first half before a goalkeeping error allowed the girls from Ifo equalise.

    Tolulope was visibly distraught after the game, acknowledging that this final was the last chance for her to win the cup as she had missed the 2016 title winning side due to injuries.

    She was later named best player of the tournament as Iko Gateway Grammar School received the prize of 1 million Naira for winning the title while the runners-up got 750,000 Naira.

  • GTB Ogun Principals Cup holds Thursday

    GTB Ogun Principals Cup holds Thursday

     

    The 2017 edition of the GTBank-Ogun State Principals Cup will reach its climax on Thursday 21st September, 2017 at the famous MKO Abiola Stadium,Kuto,Abeokuta.

    The highly anticipated finals will thrill football lovers from across Ogun State and beyond as first-time finalists take on former champions.

    The curtain raiser for the day will be the finals in the female category between 2-time winners, Muslim High School, Isoluand Iko Gateway Grammar School, Idiroko.

    In the male category, Ipara Community Secondary School, Ipara will hope to spring an upset as they take on title favorites, Pakoto High School, Ayede-Ifo who won the trophy in 2015. The matches are bound to produce historic moments for two of the four schools as both jostle to win the trophy for the first time ever.

    The GTBank- Ogun State Principals Cup has been won by 5 schools since its inception. In the male category, Alamuwa Grammar School, Ado Odowon the first and forth editions of the competition (2013, 2016) and are the only male team to win twice so far – a feat Pakoto High School hope to repeat when they file out on Thursday – while Remo Divisional High School, Sagamu emerged winners in 2014. In the female category, OrileIlegun Comprehensive High School, Odeda clinched the title in 2013,Alamuwa Grammar School, Ado Odo 2014, while this year’s finalist, Muslim High School, Isolu took home the title in 2015 and 2016.

    Outstanding players to watch out for in the male category of this year’s final include Olalekan Toheeb of Pakoto High School who is the leading scorer of the tournament with 3 goals, and Sodiya Olaoluwa of Ipara Community Secondary School who won the most valuable player award in the semifinals.  In the female category, all eyes will be on Adeyanju Hanna of Iko gateway Grammar School who scored the lone goal that earned her team a place in the final, and Kayode Tolulope of Muslim High School whose midfield prowess helped her team get to this stage of the competition. Winners in both categories will be rewarded with the sum of N1,000,000 each, while the 1st ,2nd, 3rd runners-up will be given N750,000, N500,000, and N350,000 respectively.

    Commenting on the Finals the 2017 GTBank – Ogun State Principals Cup, Segun Agbaje, the MD/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said “We are proud to lead this initiative that provides an avenue for students to showcase their talents and passion for the game of football even as they remain committed to their academics.” He further stated that “This competition paves the way for youths to cultivate their sporting talents and aptitudes, while fostering and building a healthier lifestyle at a critical stage in their lives”.

    Alongside the Ogun State Principals Cup, GTBank also sponsors the Lagos State Principals Cup, and the Masters Cup tournaments.

  • 370 teams clash in Principal’s cup Season 8

    370 teams clash in Principal’s cup Season 8

     

    The stage is set for the 8th edition of annual Principal’s cup, which has over the years produced talented players for the national teams and premier league clubs respectively.

    The competition sponsored by GT Bank prides itself as one of the largest grassroots competitions in Africa.

    Aimed at engaging secondary schools students through sports while promoting the values of excellence and fair play, the competition has become a platform for identifying and grooming talents who desire to be world class players.

    About 370 schools in Lagos will compete in the 2017 edition billed for kick next week in both boys and girls categories.

    Commenting on the tournament, Mr. Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said over the years, the tournament has helped participating students work towards actualizing their dream of becoming professional footballers while some are already making a career out of football, even as he assured that support for the project will continue to increase in tempo.

    “We will continue to invest massively in youth development through education and sport in order to help more youths actualize their dreams,” he said

    In 2005, Yetunde Fajobi joined the Nigeria U17 Female Team-The Flamingos-having played in the 2014 edition, where she powered her school, Government Secondary School Agege to Victory and emerged the most valuable player of the Season.

    2012 MVP Steven Odey also joined MFM FC in the Nigerian Professional League in 2016, and now in his second season, he scored the first hatrick in the season and is currently the highest goal scorer.

    Recall that 360 teams competed in season 7 with Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School retaining the trophy after three consecutive wins 2012, 2014 and 2016, to become the first team to retain the trophy while Ikotun Senior High School held unto the Cup in the Girls’ category.

  • LULU DRUMS UP SUPPORT FOR FCT PRINCIPALS’ CUP

    LULU DRUMS UP SUPPORT FOR FCT PRINCIPALS’ CUP

    Former NigeriaFootball Federation (NFF) President Sani Lulu Abdullahi has thrown his weight behind the organisers of the 2015 FCT Principals’ Cup Football Competition.

    The former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Director of Sports, who spoke at the Area 3 Garki ,Abuja, Football Field at the weekend, where he watched his academy boys, FOSLA Academy, play a friendly match against Supreme Court FC Fedeers’ team, said the best thing to happen to grassroots development of football in the FCT is the intiative of the FCT Football Assocaition to organise the Principals’ Cup in the capital city.

    Hear him: “This is a welcome development which every sports-loving Nigerian should embrace to the fullest. I am more impressed because the organisers have decided to de-emphasise the involvement of government in the competition, and have decided to seek the involvement of corporate bodies in the competition. This is a laudable one, which is a strong foundation for future sustainability. The corporate world should embrace the idea, as this would provide them the opportunity to invest in the future of the young players that would emerge from that competition”.

    Lulu said that the gains of such investment supercedes every other thing. “I want to make it very clear that no country in the world can develop effectively in the game, if adequate attention is not paid on the development of the game at the grassroots. It is at the schools that the real raw talents would be identified, and nutured to stardom,” he said.

    The Omachi Atah Igala, who is the Proprietor of FOSLA Academy, said his boys will surely take part in the competition, and that that would be another opportunity for the boys to exhibit their talents to all Nigerians. In the friendly match, FOSLA Academy defeated Supreme Court Feeders by three goals to one.