The organizers of the prestigious annual Professor Akin Oyebode football tournament have promised a better and bigger this year.
Answering an array of questions on the readiness of the organizers, the Chairman of Ekiti State Football Association, Bayo Olanlege stated that already all the local football councils in the state are having the secondary schools football competition within their jurisdictions.
” Already sons and daughters from these councils are involved in line with the plans of the sponsors. This means that it is indeed an all Ekiti State Secondary Schools Football Competition and the best U-15/16-year-olds in all nooks and crannies of the state would have the opportunity to show their talents and have the chances of being scouted.
On the format of this year’s edition, he remarked nonplussed, “we’re keeping our lips sealed. But I can tell you it would be massive. All the matches might be played at one venue, with a big opportunity for the kids to be seen all over the world as all the matches would be live-streamed.”
Speaking further, the youthful and awards winning FA boss disclosed that all the local football councils, except Emure LFC are currently staging their own form of the competition, as fifteen male teams and twenty-five female teams from the schools in the state, participating.
Olanlege was effusive in praises for the Oyebodes, the sponsors of the tournament. Commending them for their unflinching passion for youth empowerment, through football and education.
“The unique selling promise of the Prof. Akin Oyebode Cup is the legacy it stands to create in the area of bringing competition amongst educational institutions in the state to compete for the right to award scholarships to outstanding football players in Ekiti State secondary schools.”
Olanlege added that the competition will offer scholarships in both education and sports to the talents discovered, as well as, sports equipment to the educational institutions.
