Kerry Okoh Charity Football Competition Ends In Lagos

The call for the inclusion of deaf sports in the National Sports Festival, re-echoed on Saturday, January, 31, 2026 at the finals of Kerry Okoh Charity Football Competition held at the Main Bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Speaking at the event, President of Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation ( NDSF) , Alhaji Sulaimon Dagbo noted that the Sports Commission should show inclusiveness in sports through introduction of deaf sports in the festival where all people with disability can exhibit their talents and show Nigerians what they are capable of doing.

He noted that deaf sports is not part of para sports because just like para sports have many games under it, deaf sports equally have their games including; football, badminton, basketball, athletics, volleyball, shooting, shot put, javelin, table tennis and others.

Dagbo also highlighted the importance of developing sign language in Nigerian sports and manual rule which contributed to Nigeria not winning a gold medal in Brazil.

“There’s need for the country to emulate other countries and develop sign language in sports as well as manual rules. Lack of knowledge of manual rule made our athletes make many mistakes when we went to Brazil for a championship with one of them missing the gold medal and that’s why it’s important it is introduced so that our athletes will be conversant with the rules”, he stressed

The NDSF President commended the organizer of the tournament just as he congratulated the schools that took part in the football competition.

In her own remarks, Technical Director of the Federation, Miss. Shola Ogundele harped on the importance of sponsors for deaf sports, noting that with sponsors, the athletes will be occupied and train more to do the country proud at international competitions.

She also spoke on the importance of including deaf sports in the National Sports Festival inorder to give deaf athletes a sense of belonging.

Meanwhile in the explosive football match, State Grammar School Surulere recorded a hard fought 1-0 victory over Wesley School for the Deaf to emerge champions .
The match saw both teams display good football artistry to the delight of fans who came out in their numbers to watch them.

All efforts by both teams to get the curtain raiser in the first half proved abortive with the half ending 0-0.

However a well taken free kick by State Grammar School in the middle of the second half was what separated both teams and ensured they cart away the giant trophy presented by the sponsor with a cash prize of N100,000 while the runners-up got N50,000 for their efforts.

The Most Valuable player was won by Benson Ebowe of State Grammar School while Emmanuel Ugo and Ogunlewe Boluwatife of Wesley School came second and third respectively.

The most Valuable Player, went home with the sum of N20,000 while the second and third most Valuable players got N20,000 and N10,000 respectively.

Handing over the trophy and cash prize to the winners, sponsor of the tournament, and Chief Executive Officer of Kerry Okoh Foundation, Kerry Okoh said he organized the championship inorder to promote inclusion, advocate for continuous participation in sports/ football for young boys in inclusive schools.

Secretary of Kerry Okoh Foundation, Kingsley Njoku, commended the sponsor for identifying with his colleagues, noting that they’re proud of him even as he charged corporate Nigeria to emulate him and identify with deaf sports.

Other important dignitaries that attended the tournament includes; Alhaji Lukman Agbabiaka, Secretary of Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation, Isaa Ahmadu Usman, Chairman Lagos State Association of the Deaf and Olanrewaju Ayinde alumni of Wesley School / State Grammar School amongst others.