L-R: Executive Secretary of the Local Organising Committee of the MTN Lagos Street Soccer, Mr Deji Aladegbemi, the Captain of Koilo Street, (Lagos Island East), winner of the 2012 male category, Yussuf Jinadu , female category winning team representative, Racheal Kolawole of Go for Goal FC, Igando and Manager, Events & Sponsorship, MTN, Dola Bangboye, at the reception by MTN to round of the Season Five
Winners of this year’s edition of the MTN/Lagos Street Soccer were hosted to a banquet recently at 1960 Eagles Park, Ikeja in appreciation of their efforts at this edition.
The event which had in attendance staff members of the Lagos Ministry of Sports, MTN officials, local chiefs, the press and sports fans, was organised to rejoice with the winners of the male and female categories of the championship. Koilo 1 of Lagos Island and Go-for-Goal FC of Ikotun-Igando LCDA, emerged respectively as the winners of the male and female categories.
According to Mr. Deji Aladegbemi, Executive Secretary of the MTN/Lagos Street Soccer Local Organising Committee, the tournament witnessed a massive turn-out in both categories.
Nine hundrer teams registered for the competition. Religious bodies like The Redeemed Christian Church of God and NASFAT entered not less than 50 teams for the competition just as teams from other groups and local government councils featured prominently.
Executive Chairman of Lagos Island East Local Council, Hon. Kamar Olawale Salau-Bashar, who was a special guess at the event, advised the winners to imbibe discipline and true spirit of sportsmanship that helped them to emerge champions for their future endeavours.
Captains of the male and female teams respectively, Jinadu Yusuf and Rachel Kolawale, thanked MTN and the Lagos State Government for giving them and their team-mates the opportunities to express their talents.
Koilo 1 of Lagos Island emerged the winners of the male category of this year’s edition of MTN/Lagos Street Soccer while Go-for-Goal, also of Ikotun-Igando LCDA, emerged champions of the female category at the final played on September 16 at Campos Mini Stadium, Igbosere, Lagos Island.
The MTN/Lagos Street Soccer is a five-a-side tournament that is in its fifth season.
It is one of MTN’s ways of contributing to youth development. It is also a platform that gives young soccer talents the privilege to showcase their skills and get exposed to advance facilities within Nigeria and overseas.
The winners of this year’s edition of the tournament will be travelling to Spain where they will have the opportunities of training at Madrid soccer facilities and many more while the female category winners will head to South Africa for similar skill acquisition training.