In a celebration of grassroots football and a commitment to community development, former MFM FC striker, Stephen Odey, organized the inaugural Stephen Odey Cup, a football tournament that showcased the talent of young players from various schools in Lagos.
The event, held at Dairy Farm Secondary School Agege, featured 16 schools from Junior and Senior Secondary levels in the Lagos State Education District One, Agege.
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Stephen Odey’s Cup, conceived as a means of giving back to society, offered over a million naira in cash prizes to the participating teams.
Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School emerged as the champions in the Senior Boys category, securing a 2-0 victory over Oke Odo Senior Grammar School. The winning team was rewarded with a cash prize of N300,000.
Similarly, in the Junior Boys category, Orile Agege Community Junior High triumphed with a 2-1 win over Oke Odo Junior Secondary School, earning a cash prize of N150,000.
In the Girls’ event, Ijaiye Housing Estate Senior Grammar School clinched the title with a 1-0 victory over Olorunfemi Senior Grammar School.
In the Junior Girls Cadet category, Egan Junior Grammar School secured a 1-0 win against Estate Junior High School, earning the championship title.
Expressing his vision for the future of the competition, Stephen Odey stated, “This is a district cup; it’s for schools, and you could recollect that my football started from the Principal’s Cup; that’s where I was discovered; that’s what I am doing so we can have people realizing their dreams the same way I did.”
Odey, who currently plays for Randers FC in Denmark, emphasized the significance of grassroots football and the impact it had on his career.
The tournament, hosted at his alma mater, Dairy Farm Secondary School, Agege, served as a nostalgic reminder of his beginnings and a testament to his commitment to supporting young talents in the community.
As Stephen Odey plans to expand the competition in the coming years, the maiden edition stands as a successful initiative that not only celebrated football but also fostered a sense of community and empowerment among the young participants.
