By Victor Nwachukwu
Government Secondary School (GSS), Owerri, has qualified for the Imo State finals of the maiden FirstBank Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Secondary Schools Football Championship after emerging champions of the Owerri Zone qualifiers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that GSS Owerri secured the zonal ticket with an impressive performance on Thursday.
The school defeated Ubomiri Comprehensive High School, Ubomiri, Mbaitoli, 2-0 in the semi-finals before overcoming hosts Owerri City School 2-0 in the final to emerge champions.
Earlier, Owerri City School had booked a place in the final with a 1-0 victory over Comprehensive Secondary School, Amakohia, Uratta, Owerri North, in the second semi-final.
With the conclusion of the Owerri Zone qualifiers, attention now shifts to the Okigwe Zone, where four schools will compete for the next ticket to the state finals.
The schools are Okigwe Grammar School, Okigwe; St. Theresa Secondary School, Alaike, Obowo; St. Dominic Secondary School, Ugiri, Isiala Mbano; and Boys Secondary School, Umualumaku, Ehime Mbano.
NAN reports that the winners of the Okigwe and Orlu zone qualifiers will join GSS Owerri at the Imo State finals, where the state’s representatives for the South-East zonal championship will be determined.
The state finals are scheduled to hold at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.
NAN recalls that the championship is organised by the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation in collaboration with the Nigerian School Sports Federation (NSSF), the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the National Institute for Sports (NIS).
The competition, sponsored by FirstBank Nigeria, is organised in honour of the late Super Eagles midfielder, Samuel Okwaraji, who died while representing Nigeria during a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Angola on Aug. 12, 1989.
The tournament aims to preserve his legacy of patriotism, sacrifice and excellence while promoting discipline, academic achievement and character development among secondary school students through football.
It is also designed to revive school sports by identifying talented young footballers and providing opportunities for mentorship, exposure to scouts and scholarship pathways.
After the state competitions, the winners from each state will advance to the South-East zonal championship.
The top two teams from each of the six geopolitical zones will qualify for the national finals, scheduled to hold at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne