Vanguard, VON crowned football champions of Lagos NUJ Media Games

The weeklong Lagos NUJ Media Games came to a successful end Friday with entertaining football matches finals in both the men and women categories.

In the final game decided at Keke Primary School, Agege, Vanguard Media proved that their 2-1 victory over Lagos State Television in the Group stage was not a fluke when they thrashed the same team 3-0 to emerge champions of the 5-aside football match.

Both teams came into the game strongly but it was Vanguard that were more composed in front of goal as they scored twice in the first half to end the stanza 2-0.

At the beginning of second half, all efforts by LTV to reduce the tally proved abortive, with the champions scoring a third goal towards the end of the half to seal victory and cart away the giant trophy.

In the third place match, Lagos Information defeated Lagos Traffic Radio 3-2 to win the bronze.

It was double tragedy for LTV, as their women team, lost the finals by 2-0 penalties to Voice of Nigeria after their game ended 0-0 at regulation time

Speaking on their victory , Coach of Vanguard, Prince Osuagwu and the team’s Captain, Samuel Agu, attributed it to support from their publisher, constant training and hard work, just as they expressed confidence that they’ll successfully defend the title next year.

“We’re dedicating this trophy to our publisher who ensured we have a Vanguard football team.

“It will interest you to know that we have won this competition many times because we have a standing team and we don’t joke with our training schedule and I can assure you that come next year, we’ll successfully defend it.

Declaring the Games close, Chairman of the NUJ, Lagos Council, Mr. Adeleye Ajayi, expressed happiness that they were able to organize a seemless event after more than nine years it was held even as he commended all the chapels that took part in the weeklong Games.

Ajayi while congratulating the Sports Committee for a job well done, appealed to sponsors who are yet to redeem their pledges to do so as the council spent a lot of money in putting the Games together.

” I want to commend all the journalists that took part in the Games which has been on the doldrum for about nine years now. The Sports Committee did a good job, the organization was perfect and our members really entertained the crowd with their various sporting skills.

” However, I want to appeal to our sponsors to redeem their pledges because the council spent a lot of money in ensuring that the Games did not suffer any postponement”, he stated.

Chairman of the 2026 NUJ Media Games Sports Committee, Ayo Ojedokun, who was overwhelmed with joy for the successful completion of the Games, thanked his committee members for their support as well as the council’s executive for giving them the opportunity to serve

Ojedokun also appreciated their sponsors namely; Agege and Amuwo- Odofin Local Government Areas, SFAS Group, Coca cola and Nestle Foods for identifying with the Council to improve the mental alertness of journalists.

He however, highlighted the importance of redeeming their pledges.

The weeklong event saw journalists engage themselves in such sports as football, Chess, Ludo, Draught, Ayo Olopon, Scrabble, Table Tennis and 100m race.

At the end of hostilities, Lagos Information emerged the overall winners of the Games.

Trophies, medals and certificates were awarded to winners.