Sheer spectacle, unending excitements, glamour and electrifying atmosphere aptly describe the grand finale of the maiden edition of the Naija Super 8 soccer championship that ended Sunday, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos. Lagos football fans and indeed, stakeholders, confessed that they have not enjoyed top quality football as produced by Flykite Productions, the organisers of the epochal Naija Super 8 championship, in the last two decades. Beginning with the playoffs that featured 12 teams drawn from the six-geopolitical regions of the country, to the Super 8 that included two wild card entries, the championship, which was tipped for a great success by the press and football aficionados, lived up to the billings. What with matches that were exciting and keenly contested, just as the final match between eventual champions Sporting Lagos and Remo Stars, was an end-to-end affair, that had the delirious soccer fans on the edges of their seats throughout the game. Football fans and stakeholders were effusive in praise for the organisers of the championship.
Speaking with Nigeria Sports Centre, Football Director of ABS Football Club, Ilorin, Chief Alloy Chukwuemeka, said the quality and standard of the games were, ‘superb and commendable’. The renowned football administrator remarked that the championship gives the teams the opportunity to prepare for both the league and continental championships, adding that it was a grand soccer fiesta and the first of its kind. National Chairman of Nigeria and Africa’s foremost football fans group, the Nigeria Football Supporters Club(NFSC), Ambassador (Rev). Samuel Ikpea, who led the world famous band of the NFSC, to support and cheer the teams throughout the championship, waxed lyrically about the soccer fiesta, which he described as the needed tonic and elixir for the rebirth of football in Nigeria. “The organisers proved to be real professionals and with adroit organisational skills. It was a near-perfect football fiesta. A sweet mix of football and music, played on a beautiful and television friendly soccer pitch. It was a top notch football showpiece.
That’s the kind of football tournaments that would help return the past glory of our football. “Let me join to recall the emotional refrain, that yes, ‘football is back home’. Thank you Flykite Productions and the partners. Thank you NFF and thank you, too, Lagos State Government,” he remarked. Ex-Super Eagles star player Mutiu Adepoju remarked that the tournament was fantastic calling it a game changer. “From the beginning, it was a fan base tournament. It’s one of its kind.” “The huge crowd at the final reminded me of the days when the stadia in Nigeria, used to be filled to the brim. Fans would have already filled up the stadium by 11am before a 4pm kick-off. I tell you, Naija Super 8 was a huge success. “I want to congratulate Flykite Productions and its partners like Multichoice, SuperSport, Hero Beer, MTN and others. Naija Super 8, was another opportunity for soccer fans to enjoy beautiful football from the local teams. “I advise the football fans to take such opportunities to return to the stadiums to start supporting their favourite local team. And I assure you, Nigeria football, shall be great again,” Adepoju, who was one of the ex-footballers attached to the eight teams in the tournament as mentors, added.
Teams intensify training for ‘Above 50’ football championship
Teams preparing for the forthcoming maiden ‘Above 50’ football tournament continued their training Saturday at the Police College, Ikeja play ground with their coaches working on their fitness, ball possession/control and striking skills to keep them in top shape ahead of the competition. The teams made up of both men and women saw the players sweeting it out in the training session with some of them showing some good reflexes which is an indication that there won’t be any dull moment when the tournament finally kicks off. Speaking to Catholic Herald Sports after leading his team in one of the training sessions, initiator/sponsor of the championship, Ambassador Dr. Edward Olutoke said that the competition slated for July 28- 30, 2023 at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium Surulere Lagos promises to be a world class competition which will see the elderly not only showcasing their talents but make the youths understand that there is no age limit to football just as he assured that all is now set for the tournament which will see eight teams battle for honour in the three day event. “
As you can see, we’re really getting ready for action and I’m impressed with the large turnout of players which is an indication that the competition has gained acceptability. “Right now, all the teams are already talking tough ahead of the tournament and I can assure you that we’re ready to go and the championship will be full of fun as the idea is not only to play football but to give participants opportunity to network, discuss business ideas and keep fit”, he said.. According to Olutoke who is also the President of Ikeja Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture known as ( Poverty Fighters), the whole idea behind the tournament is to give hope to the elderly assuring that the competition will be sustained and efforts intensified to have friendly matches with teams from Ghana and Brazil even as he explained that he’s looking forward to having an ‘Above 50 world cup in future. In his own remark Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the tournament, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo commended the initiator of the tournament which he described as a noble idea positing that teams are already looking forward to the kick off date. “
I want to give kudos to Ambassador Olutoke for this noble idea and for investing so much on the competition. As you can see the turnout has being wonderful and all the teams are training seriously to make sure they emerge champion of the competition. ” It’s equally important that I appeal to corporate organisations and public spirited individuals in the country to emulate what Ambassador Olutoke has done and give hope to the senior citizens of this country by sponsoring sporting activities where the elderly can come together network, exercise themselves, burn out calories, fight obesity, make friends and share business ideas”, he concluded. Winner of the competition will go home with N5 million while the first and second runners-up will get N2 million and N1 million respectively.