- Set for 32 teams tourney
- Target public/private schools participation
The Lagos state government has announced the re-introduction of the state’s Principal Cup which will involve secondary schools in the state that includes both the government and privately owned schools with faith-based schools and military and para-military schools also expected to be part of the championship.
Speaking at the press conference organized for the revamped football tournament which has produced so many football stars for the country, the chairman of the Principal Cup Organising Committee, Honourable Rasaq Ajala, stated that the vacuum created with the inability of the state to produce stars from grassroots from competition such as the Principal cup, something that was done in the past has affected the growth of the game in the state.
Ajala said football is one of the few sports that give you opportunity for academic excellence as he confirmed that playing football or other sports enhanced the brain.
“A total of 24 teams are expected to qualify from the preliminary stage of the competition, four teams will qualify from each district,” he said talking about the government owned schools.
“District 24 representing all-state-owned schools are eligible to participate provided they meet the competition criteria for the schools and players, this division is expected to have the highest number of schools participating in the competition.
“From the privately owned schools, the faith-based schools and the force (military and paramilitary), eight teams will qualify for the last 32 where all the teams would be paired in groups before the Round-of-16, the quarterfinals, the semifinals and later the grand finale.”
He added that Stringent security measure would be taken to ensure that all the schools adhere to the security regulations put in place while also making sure that legitimate students are the ones talking part in the competition with the principal of the violating schools taking responsibility for whatever happened and they will be punish severely.
Speaking also during the press conference, former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, who is also the vice chairman of the committee, said “Education can be married to football and vice versa. Football is one of the few sports that give you opportunity for academic excellence.
“We will recognise only the age on the NIN (National Identification Number) and we are going to take that very seriously and work on it.”
In his own words, the chairman of Lagos State Football Association, Fouad Oki, while appreciating all those involved in the return of the Principal’s Cup in Lagos State, he said his wish is to see the state’s kids doing well academically and sports wise especially football.
“All of us must kindly engage in football development, we must imbibe in them (the students) the character of football and education. Academics and football. There is no other place to do this than through this championship where there is football camaraderie.
“We must also start to develop children who will be interested in coaching of football. That is what the Principal Cup is all about.
“We want to establish and create that opportunity for our children to start pursuing those dreams which they want to achieve. I hope that in another 20 years we will have not only coaches but also referees that will come from our schools and tournament such as the Principal cup”.
The representative of the state government at the press conference, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Gafar Bolowotan, said the state is looking beyond just football but other 10 sports that the state is good at and would be giving their support to the LSFA for taking a bold step in returning the Principals Cup.
