Sports

Published

4 years ago

April 22, 2022

Lagos State Is Hub Of Grassroots Development-Stakeholders

By Akeem Busari

Football stakeholders have described Lagos state as the hub of grassroots football development in Nigeria. Recent research and investigations by Sports Chronicle Magazine showed that Lagos state has become a beehive of grassroots football activities.

According to the findings of SCM, grassroots football teams are enjoying a conducive environment, made possible by Lagos State Football Association. There are a plethora of grassroots football competitions taking place simultaneously in different parts of the state.
According to Badagry-based grassroots football promoter, Sola Smart, Lagos State is undoubted, the leader in grassroots football development.

” Grassroots football is thriving and developing in Lagos state because the State FA is equally committed to the development of football at the grassroots level. I am saying this because, unlike some states in the country that pays lip service to grassroots football development, Lagos FA have overtime proved to be willing partners in this aspect,” the youthful football administrator remarked.

Coach Dominic Etim, who is the proprietor of Baraka football academy, noted that grassroots teams in Lagos are always busy competing in one tournament or the other. He was full of praises for the several grassroots football organizers and sponsors for their roles in developing Nigerian football, as well as, helping to take the youths off the streets.

SCM also discovered that most local government areas in the state are replete with mini or Olympic-sized pitches for the use of the grassroots football teams, therefore, giving birth to several local football leagues and championships. Prominent amongst these government-owned facilities is the Odion Ighalo O2 Arena in the famous Ajegunle area of Lagos state, which recently played host to some matches of the Lagos State FA cup.

In a recent interview with Sports Chronicle Magazine, Lagos State FA Chairman, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, who also doubles as the 1st Vice-President of Nigeria Football Federation, was effusive in praises for the grassroots football stakeholders in the state. He commended their steadfastness and commitment to the development and growth of football at the grassroots levels in the state.

” Lagos State Football Association is, indeed, proud of the football stakeholders in the state, particularly, at the grassroots levels. Despite the strangulating economic situation in the country, they have continued to ensure that football in Lagos state thrives.

“I am equally happy and proud to tell you that we have a properly structured football ecosystem and with an enviable success template,” the experienced and high resourceful football administrator stated.

Akinwunmi further remarked that the emergence of some youth players, like former Golden Eaglets captain Samson Tijani and highly rated Akinkunmi Amoo, who were discovered at some Lagos FA youth football programs on the national scene, are testimonials of the workable and result-oriented programs of the state FA.

It was also discovered that Lagos State is one of the leading states in female football, with hundreds of young female footballers scouted at different grassroots football tournaments plying their trades with several club sides in and outside the country, as well as, the various female national teams.

Notwithstanding the enviable successes achieved in Lagos football, Akinwunmi noted the need for more financial support from corporate bodies and well-placed individuals.

” We appreciate the support from organizations and individuals towards the development of football in this state, however, we need more support. Football is big business and I believe it can get better and bigger, with more corporate and individual support,” Akinwunmi stated.

Share on Facebook

Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

19 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

Share on Facebook