Favour Comprehensive College has emerged champion of the maiden Afeni Inter-Secondary School Football Tournament after defeating other contenders in the two-week competition held in Idiroko, Ogun State.
The tournament, sponsored by the Acting Customs Area Controller of Ogun I Area Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, in partnership with Jonnyyeko College of Health Science and Technology, featured 12 secondary schools drawn from communities across the border region.
The Public Relations Officer of Ogun I Area Command, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Chado Zakari Anipr, disclosed in a statement on Saturday that the competition formed part of the Command’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiative aimed at engaging youths positively, promoting community cohesion and discouraging involvement in cross-border smuggling.
According to the statement, the football tournament, held between July 13 and July 24, engaged hundreds of students as players, match officials and spectators, while also attracting the support of educational authorities, youth groups and community leaders across the border communities.
It stated that beyond promoting sporting excellence, the initiative was designed to mentor young people, encourage educational advancement and help them realise their potential beyond the border communities.
The statement noted that the successful conclusion of the tournament marked a significant milestone in youth development and sports diplomacy within the Idiroko axis, adding that it had laid a strong foundation for what is expected to become an annual competition.
As part of the closing ceremony, cash prizes, educational materials and sports equipment were presented to the winners, runners-up and outstanding individual performers.
Among the individual award recipients, Okanlawon Al-Amin of S.S. International School emerged the tournament’s highest goal scorer with four goals, while Olawale Saoban of Favour Comprehensive College was named Best Goalkeeper. Rigobert of Holy Childhood Academy won the Best Player award.
The Afeni Inter-Secondary School Football Tournament is a grassroots sports initiative established to discover and nurture young talents, promote education and use sports as a platform for crime prevention and social transformation among youths in border communities.
