As part of the overarching drive to put Osun State ahead of the curve in sports development through talent discovery and add a new dimension to the sports development niche in the state, the maiden edition of the state Governor’s Cup is set to get underway on Tuesday, 20th February 2024 by 10:00 AM at Ataoja Sports Complex, Osogbo.
The football tournament which is being sponsored by Peculiar Ultimate Concern Limited in collaboration with the School’s Sports Foundation is meant to mainstream talent discovery in schools and is designed for secondary school students’ participation to be hosted by the six(6) geopolitical zones of Osogbo, Ede, Ikirun, Iwo, Ife and Ilesha. This is contained in a press briefing by the organizers of the competition.
Speaking, Alhaji Olayiwola Olafiranye of the School Sports Foundation, an organizer of the tournament, averred that “the competition is commencing tomorrow and billed to run for two(2) weeks and will subsequently be a state-wide annual event that will involve representation from each of the local governments of the six(6) geopolitical zones.
It will co-opt the students, principals and other sports stakeholders from each zone across the state”.
Mr Yomi Elijah, also of the School Sports Foundation, also retorts, “Osun State is richly blessed with a pool of talents that are waiting to be taped and the best way to go about this is discovering them from schools. This competition is modelled along that of the principals’ cup but with an added touch to it.
It will among others reduce youth’s involvement in delinquency and other social vices. Rewards will be handed out to all participating schools and six(6) top teams will qualify from the zones to the quarter-finals, while two(2) best losers will be picked to complete eight(8) teams in the quarter-finals. Also, logistics will be provided to all the participating schools accordingly”.
Mr Ademola Daini, the director of coaching at Osun State Sports Council, who was full of ecstasy and joy intoned, “The governor has approved feeders teams for the state’s football clubs and other sports across the state. This governor’s cup will solidify and straighten the synergy to produce budding talents for these feeders teams.
We are deeply grateful to the sponsors and organizers of this wonderful competition”.
There was also a deluge of accolades and thanks to the sponsors of this laudable initiative, Peculiar Ultimate Concern Limited.The zonal qualifiers are to be hosted across the six(6) zones as thus:
Osogbo Zone—Ataoja School Of Science, Osogbo
Ede Zone—Ede High School, Ede.
Iwo Zone—Oluwo Stadium, Iwo
Ife Zone—Ife Anglican Grammar School, Ile-Ife
Ikirun Zone—Odo-Otin Grammar School, Okuku
Ilesha Zone— Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha
The zonal qualifiers are to be hosted across the six(6) zones as thus:
Osogbo Zone—Ataoja School Of Science, Osogbo
Ede Zone—Ede High School, Ede.
Iwo Zone—Oluwo Stadium, Iwo
Ife Zone—Ife Anglican Grammar School, Ile-Ife
Ikirun Zone—Odo-Otin Grammar School, Okuku
Ilesha Zone— Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha
Osogbo will host the knockout rounds and the grand finale.