Ofu Local Government Area (LGA) U-13 boys has emerged winners of the 2013 FOSLA U-13 Football Championship following 5-4 victory over their counterparts, Ibaji LGA yesterday in Idah, Kogi state.
The tie officiated by Grade one Referee and FIFA Instructor Sunday Okanyi ended in a goalless draw without a winner at regulation time with eventual winners, Ofu converting all their penalty kicks to edge runner-up, Ibaji who missed one of their kicks to lifting the giant trophy.
The Champions, Ofu LG boys were rewarded with a gigantic golden trophy and cash award of #30,000 while Ibaji LG boys received a silver-made trophy and #20,000 for finishing as runner-up at the Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi bankrolled football championship.
Ofu U-13 Boys are now crowned champions for the first time as three-time winners Igalamela failed to make the final which Nine Local Government Areas of the Eastern Senatorial district of Kogi State participated in this year.
The Sponsor and Organizer of FOSLA U-13 Cup, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi have revealed that the increasing decline in discovery of talented players to compete for the country at the international level was behind his vision to organize the football tournament.
The Former NFF boss and FCT Sports’ Director stated that FOLSA Academy is one of the best standards and enterprising football talents rearing outfit in the country, where successful players are given free education and quality training to help them develop into a professional player.
Speaking to newsmen, the 2013 FOSLA U-13 Cup winning captain of Ofu LG boys, Mohammed Adamu announced he and his teammates have dedicated the trophy to the Chairman of the council, Honorable for support and encouragement in ensuring they participated in the tournament.
Present at the finals was the Commissioner of Works and Housing, Honorable Ibrahim Abdullahi; Special Adviser on PPP and Chairman of Kogi United and Confluence Queens, Mallam Abdul Adama; Nigeria Football Federation’s Director of Marketing, Mr Idris Adama; Hosts and Chairman of Idah Local Government Area Council, Honorable Musa Major and top staff; Organizer and Former President of NFF, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi.
Also speaking separately after the finals, the State Commissioner of Works and Housing, Honorable Ibrahim Abdullahi commended the efforts of the sponsor and brother, Alhaji Sani Lulu in joining the state government to develop grassroots sports, engage youths and encourage talents discovery.
Mr Abdullahi however, advised well-to-do individuals, organizations and companies to accept as social responsibility the need to develop grassroots sports as well as complimenting the government in grooming talents.
Chairman of Kogi United and Confluence Queens, Mallam Abdul Adama, has predicted that the future is very bright for the state with the increasing trend at which talents are discovered from football championship.
Mallam Adama, who doubles as the Special Adviser on Public, Private Partnership (PPP) to Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada enjoined other to imitate Sani Lulu in engaging youths, noting that the country can boast of potential world stars when more competitions are provided for potential talents at the grassroots to be discovered.
Meanwhile, the organizers of the annual FOSLA U-13 Football tournament through its Technical Director, Mr Christopher Alor announced that fourteen players have been shortlisted for scholarship and absorption into the FOSLA Academy.
According to Mr Alor, who was the former Assistant to the then Head Coach of the 2009 World Cup silver-winning U-17 women national team side Flamingoes’ Edet Egan, the fourteen picked players will be trimmed to five after undergone a written examination and training screening.
The selected outstanding players are – Gambo Usman and Danjuma Mohammed of Ofu LGA, Ayuba Usman and David Solomon of Ibaji, Chubiyo Haruna and Samuel Emmanuel of Idah and from Bassa are Mohammed Adam and Hamza Dauda.
Others are Emmanuel Bala, Muhammed Abubakar and Joshua Opaluwa all of Omala and from Igalamela is Musa Sulieman.
