There has been serious excitement in the air since the 2024 Secondary Schools Governor’s Cup football competition got jump-started in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State.
The football competition, which is organized to honour the state Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde kicked-off on Monday.
The opening match of the competition between Urban Day Secondary School and Community Grammar School, Akinlumo, took place at the Sports Complex of Urban Day Grammar School, Old-Ife Road, Ibadan.
Addressing the participants, spectators and other stakeholders at the opening ceremony, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, tasked the participating teams to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship during the competition.
The Commissioner, who explained that the competition is an opportunity will for the students to showcase their talents, charged them to play the game according to the rules.
Prof. Adelabu commended the organizers of the tournament, Peculiar Ultimate Concerns for the initiative and his willingness to invest in the development of youths in the state through sporting activities.
In his remarks, the initiator of the tournament, Yomi Elijah, said that the tournament is aimed at reviving school sports and also to nurture young talents in secondary schools across the state.
The championship themed, ‘Catching them Young’s,’ is geared towards discovering football talents from the secondary schools in the state and providing a career pathway for them.
The opening game witnessed the presence of the Coordinating Director, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Christiana Bolaji,
Director of Secondary School, Mr.Olayinka Akanji, former Super Eagles Player, Mutiu Adepoju and a host of others.
The game ended in favour of Urban Day Secondary School, 5 goals to nil.
Packaged by Adekunle Adegboyega
