The 3rd edition of the Edo State Annual Secondary Schools Football Tournament organized by the Edo People Forum 2020, climaxed with a thrilling final on Friday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City as Edokpolo Grammar School grabbed the title in the boys’ category while Idia College secured top spot in the girls’ division.
The tournament aimed at identifying and nurturing grassroots football talents across the three Senatorial Districts in Edo State.
The grand finale drew an enthusiastic crowd as Edokpolo Grammar School defeated St. David’s College, Evboneka, in a hard-fought match ending 3-2. PraiseGod Monday, Ubebe Miracle, and Iboi Godspower each scored for Edokpolo, while St. David’s player Ewean Osaze scored twice in the second half, nearly pushing the game into extra time. Despite the valiant comeback efforts, Edokpolo held their ground to claim the championship.
In the girls’ final, Idia College, Benin City, dominated St. Angela’s Girls Grammar School of Jattu with a 3-0 victory, marking their third consecutive tournament win.
Eyean Secondary School took third place in the girls’ category, while Oghe Community Secondary School from Etsako East Local Government Area finished third in the boys’ division. The champions in the boys’ and girls’ categories were awarded cash prizes of one million Naira each, while the second and third-place teams received N500,000 and N300,000 respectively, along with certificates of participation, medals, and trophies.
The tournament also recognised individual excellence, awarding titles like Most Valuable Player, Highest Goal Scorer, and Best Goalkeeper.
The tournament organized to support Edo youths, featured 160 students from across eight secondary schools in the state who competed over six days. The organizers ensured that all participants were accommodated in one of Benin City’s best hotels and provided with three meals daily.
The final also featured Ekhator Vanessa Aisosa, the youngest female referee in Nigeria, who at 12 years old officiated her first official match in Edo State.
She felt happy to be the youngest female referee in Nigeria, noting that she started her referee career earlier this year and hopes to push her career to the European level.
A former Governor of Edo State, His Excellency Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion who presented the trophy to the winners of the Edo State Secondary Schools Football Competition for the male team, Edokpolor Grammar School in an interview with The Nigerian Observer reporters said, “It is highly encouraging and we must commend the promoters and those that have supported through sponsorship, we can see how this competition has grown from last year.
“We have more schools participating this year, it is a good testament to the organisation, and watching the finals, we can see the fair play. We have an abundance of talents that should be nurtured and encouraged so that we can see them in the professional league at local and international levels”.
The Chairman Working Committee, Edo People Forum 2020, Col Charles Asowata (Rtd.), expressed gratitude to the Edo State Ministry of Education and the Edo State Sports Commission for supporting the tournament. He highlighted the tournament’s dual purpose: to foster young talents and to build character among the youths.
“The tournament is to build characters—how to accept loss and celebrate winning. It takes children off the streets and encourages them to be better citizens,” Asowata said.
He also noted the tournament’s success in producing professional players from previous editions, mentioning that in the 2022 and 2023 editions, five players from the competition joined Edo Queens, two joined Fortress Ladies Football Club, and two others have even begun playing outside the country.
In a post-match interview, Prince Jerry Obaseki, a member of the Edo People Forum 2020, stressed the tournament’s goal of reviving Edo State’s sports legacy. He emphasised the role of the tournament in re-establishing Edo State as a sports powerhouse and pledged that the event would continue in the coming years to nurture future champions.
“We are doing this to give back to society. Some of us didn’t have this opportunity growing up, but Edo State has always been a cradle of sports,” Obaseki stated.
The tournament, he added, is part of a larger effort to encourage young people to focus on productive activities and avoid negative influences.
“Our job is to encourage them to be better citizens and not to involve themselves in cultism because they are our future,” he added.
The success of the 2024 tournament is seen as a promising step in building a stronger sports culture in Edo State and fostering a new generation of football talent.
