Olowu of Owu Launches Maiden Football Competition to Nurture Young Talents In Ogun

In a bid to foster youth empowerment and cultivate raw football talents, the Olowu of Owu-Abeokuta kingdom, Oba (Prof) Saka Adelola Matemilola, has joined forces with former Super Eagles' coach, Bonfrere Joe, to organize a maiden edition of the Under-15 football competition in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State.

During a press conference held at his Oke-Ago Owu Palace, Oba Matemilola unveiled plans for the tournament, scheduled to kick off on May 12, 2024. 

Emphasizing the importance of grassroots competitions in talent discovery, the monarch highlighted the tournament's aim to empower youths and harness their potential for the benefit of society.

With an eye on nurturing future football stars, Oba Matemilola expressed concern over the lack of sufficient grassroots competitions in Nigeria. 

He added that partnering with Bonfrere Joe, the competition aims to groom talents for both national and local league teams, including the under-17 national team (Golden Eaglets) and Nigerian club sides.

The tournament, which is set to become a league competition for cadet teams, seeks to not only develop football skills but also promote unity  among young players across Abeokuta and Ogun State.

Acknowledging the support of patrons such as Engr. Oludotun Taiwo and Chief (Mrs) Funmi Wakama, the monarch expressed gratitude for their contributions to the initiative.

"The whole idea is to start with teams from Abeokuta city, later it will be extended to other parts of Ogun State, we intend to make the competition to be a form of league competition for cadet teams (Under 15) 

"The whole idea is to start with teams from Abeokuta city, later it will be extended to other parts of Ogun State, we intend to make the competition to be a form of league competition for cadet teams (Under 15) 

Former handler of Nigeria's Under-23 male football team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Alex Okonkwo, praised the collaboration between Oba Matemilola and Bonfrere Joe Foundation, emphasizing their shared passion for nurturing young talents.

Wasiu Isiaka, the State Commissioner for Sports Development, commended the monarch's initiative, affirming the government's commitment to support grassroots talent development. 

He assured Oba Matemilola of the State Sports Council's assistance in grooming talented players discovered during the competition.

The competition's coordinator, Chief Oluseyi Adediran, announced enticing prizes for the participating teams, with the champions set to receive a cash prize of N200,000 and a royal dinner with Oba Matemilola.

He added that the second and third-placed teams will be awarded cash prizes of N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.