Foundation urges proprietors to allow pupils, students to participate in sport

Abimbola Williams

A foundation, Elite School Cup has called on proprietors to allow their pupils and students to participate in sporting to create consciousness and discover talents.

The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Olayinka Shokoya, said this on the side-line of Elite School Cup finals held at Queens College sports complex, Yaba, Lagos, on Sunday.

According to him, the Elite School Cup Football Competition in its sixth edition had grown with benefits hence, there was the need for more participation.

Shokoya stated that the competition was faced with contingency challenges due to the same timing with the just concluded National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta and the World Cup in Qatar.

The founder, however, promised to put into consideration any national or international competition before fixing a date for the seventh edition in 2023.

“We want to thank God for the first time we are having a state final and having the sixth edition represented.

“I am really happy for the support from the Lagos State Sports Commission and individuals who assisted us financially.

“My message for participants, especially the students is that they have to stay in school and also stay in sports.

“They should see football as a source of livelihood, right now there are scouts present and they are looking for good talent,” he said.

Shokoya called on corporate organisations to sponsor school sports, adding that the competition had improved to the extent that some schools hire coaches to train their students.

“If our children are familiar with sports as a career early enough, they may break records in their specialities.

“In fact, one of Nigerian football legends, Nduka Ugbade has a representative to scout for good talent for trial on age group for Nigeria team.

“We also have a lot of work to do to ensure that the competition becomes the best that will attract foreign investors to the sport.

“We will work on our setback next year and schedule it from June to November for event activities and November for the finals,” he said.

Samuel Addo, Sports Director, Frontrunner City College, urged the students to find a balance between sports and academics, adding that the players had shown the spirit of sportsmanship.

The Most Valuable Player for the Female team, Goodness Saturday, advised her colleagues to train regularly and develop themselves as well as build a career in sport.

“The competition was tough but we triumph at the end due to consistent training and determination,” she said.

CitizendDiary reports that in the female football match, Davidhall College defeated Aunty Ayo College by a lone goal, while Davidhall College, Ikoyi defeated Front-runner College Ikorodu 2-1 in the male category.

Fit-Youngster, Ikorodu, defeated Aunty Ayo int’l School Ikoyi 3-0 in the male category to clinch the third position, while Frontrunner School came third in the female category.