Sports
Seven states for Nigeria secondary school flag football League
- Ifeanyi Eduzor
A total of seven states are to participate in Season 11 of the forthcoming Nigeria Secondary School Flag Football League slated for July,30-August 5, 2023 at the Sunshine Stadium, Akure, the Ondo State Capital.
The states are; Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the host state, Ondo.
According to the Secretary General of Nigeria American Football Association, organisers of the event, Lawrence Ojiade, the championship tagged 2023 Aketi Bowl is being put together in honour of the Ondo State Governor, His Excellency, Rotimi Akeredolu and aimed at consolidating on the successes recorded last year at the maiden edition as well as further develop American Football at the grassroots.
He explained that the President of the association, Jide Akeredolu is desirous to see that Nigerian youths embrace the sports which was first introduced in the country in 2019 to enable them enjoy the benefit of getting scholarship in colleges in the United States even as he expressed hope that the next edition will attract students from all the 36 states of the Federation.
He was particularly grateful to the Lagos State Government, the state’s Ministries of Education and Sports for encouraging the integration of sports with education which he says has made Lagos State a trail blazer in grassroots sports development.
In his speech at the press conference to herald the tournament, Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Sola Aiyepeku who was represented by the Director Lagos School Sports, Dr. Mrs. Olaide Oluwasomi described the epoch making event as an attestation to yet another success story of the productive synergy existing among Lagos State Sports Commission, Ministry of Education, the states 6 educational Districts, Nigeria School Sports Federation and Nigeria American Football Association and other sports providing entities noting that the sports commission through it’s sports Directorate had painstakingly worked assiduously with sister agencies of the state in moving sports forward in the Center of Excellence.
He further explained that the policy of Lagos State Sports Commission which revolves around integration of education and sports played key role in the maiden edition which witnessed the training of Games Masters/ Mistresses, training of 2000 students which dove tailed into exhibition stage, qualifying series up until the maiden edition which took place between May and June, 2022 at the Main Bowl of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Aiyepeku while expressing happiness that seven states are to participate in the second edition charged all student athletes, officials, umpires, organisers and sports administrators to play by the rules of the game and display high sense of fair play at the tournament.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Abolaji Abayomi announced that two male and two female teams will represent the state at the competition and expressed hope they will do the state proud.
“I’m happy with the synergy existing between the Ministry of Sports and Education which has created room for our students to exhibit their talents in sports.
” Presently, some of our students are in Japan for an international competition and by next week another set would be traveling to Sweden for another championship. And for this tournament, the state will be presenting two male and two female teams to represent her at Akure and we’re looking forward for a good outing”, he said.
Principal of Oshodi High School whom three of her students were adopted into the League, Mrs. Beckley Augustina commended NNFFL for the honour done to her school pledging that the school’s management will continue to monitor the progress of the students in order to ensure they don’t derail which will enable them achieve their full potentials in the game.
Highlight of the event was the unveiling of the three students of Oshodi High School who were adopted into the League following their performance at the maiden edition.
Some private and public schools that took part in the maiden edition includes; Green Springs Schools, New Hall College, Ogunmodede College, Okemagba High School, Olomu High School, Baptist Academy and Army Cantonment Girls School.
Others are; Birrel Senior High School, Oregun High School, Akande Dahunsi Memorial, Government Senior College, Surulere, Oshodi High School and Dolphin High School.
