By Sani Idris-Abdulrahman

Kaduna North Local Government Area has won the 2024 football competition of the Kaduna State Basic Education School Sports (BESS) fiesta.

The gold medalist, Kaduna North LGA, defeated Jama’ah LGA that lifted silver medal, two goals to one, while Kaura LGA, that got the third position clinched the bronze medal.

Other games competed for by the participating LGAs in the 2024 BESS Competition were track and field, volleyball and board games, where winners emerged in each of the games from respective LGAs.

Speaking at the end of the two-day competition in Kaduna, the acting Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mubarak Mohammed, said it was the first of its kind among the public schools in the state.

He said prior to the event, they had held the competition in the three zones of the state, where the winners made it to the final.

Mohammed stressed the importance of the occasion, adding that sports development was very important in human lives.

The chairman explained that the programme was an initiative from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) which was stepped down to all state SUBEBs.

He said that the objective of the competition was achieved, which was aimed at driving cohesion and encouraging unity amongst the state teaming pupils and to nurture their mindset at a very young age.

“This competition has given the children from Kajuru, Chikun, Ikara, Kaduna North, among other LGAs, the opportunity to meet, learn from their peers, network, and foster unity.

“Sports foster unity, and that is why there is the World Cup, African Nations Cup, and other international competitions,” he said.

The chairman stated that the Kaduna State Government prioritised sports development, which made SUBEB work closely with the Ministry of Sports to scale up such inter-schools and inter-local governments competitions.

He thanked all the sports coaches and desk officers from the local governments, and all those who provided support for success of the competition.

Mohammed congratulated all the pupils, emphasising that everybody was a winner, while assuring that the board would scale up with many other sporting activities in subsequent competitions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition was a collaboration between SUBEB and UBEC. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani