All is now set for the kickoff of the inaugural Oba Maroof Oluwa U15 Football Championship, a grassroots football tournament organised by the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Sports Council to promote youth sports and honour a revered community monarch.
The draw for the competition, held earlier in the week, grouped the eight participating youth teams into two pools, Groups A and B, with each group consisting of four teams.
The matches are scheduled to be played at the Nathaniel Idowu Football Pitch, Oregie, Ajegunle.
According to the Chairman of AJIF Sports Football Unit, Mr. Shola Omojoye, the opening Group A fixture will see Alaska Football Academy face Bright Futures Football Academy at 12 noon on Friday.
This will be followed at 1:30 pm by a clash between Young Talented Football Academy and Future Star Football Academy.
Later in the day, Group B matches will take center stage, beginning at 3:00 pm with Ajegunle United Sporting Club taking on AJ Chelsea Feeders Football Academy.
The final fixture of the opening day features Young Stars Football Academy against Diamond Sports Academy.
The championship is being held in honour of Kabiyesi Oba Maroof Oluwa, the Oluwa of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom, a known sports enthusiast and certified football referee.
The monarch recently spearheaded the Ajegunle-Isale-Eko Kids Marathon, a youth-centered athletic event spanning from Ajegunle to Lagos Island.
Speaking on the significance of the tournament, McAnthony Anaelechukwu, Director-General of the AJIF Sports Council, stated that the event is part of a broader initiative to foster grassroots sports development and provide meaningful engagement for youths within the Ajegunle community.
“This championship is not only a tribute to Oba Maroof Oluwa’s unwavering support for youth sports but also a platform to discover and nurture future football stars,” Anaelechukwu noted.
The AJIF Sports Council reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining youth sports initiatives that will continue to empower and positively shape the future of young talents across the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area.
