Sports

Excitement Builds as 1st Kuje Football League Kicks Off on Sunday

Published

3 weeks ago

May 8, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

Kuje, one of the most vibrant towns in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is alive with excitement as the much-anticipated 1st Kuje Football League kicks off this Sunday, setting a new benchmark for grassroots football development.

Ten men’s teams are set to compete across various locations in Kuje, promising thrilling encounters and a celebration of local talent. Football enthusiasts can expect a dynamic competition, as the teams battle it out for top honors.

Speaking at the official press briefing on Thursday in Kuje, Chairman of the Kuje Football League Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Muhammed Momoh, expressed his passion and commitment to the league’s success. He emphasized the importance of professionalism and fair play as the foundation of this new sporting project.

Mr Momoh expressed that with the community support, the 1st Kuje Football League is set to become a landmark event in the local football scene.

“Football in Kuje is long overdue. Since I arrived here, I kept wondering why isn’t there a football league in Kuje? Football is one of the best ways to engage our youth and create vibrant activity in the community,” he said.

Momoh noted that the idea for the league came after thoughtful planning and recognition of the benefits it would bring to Kuje.

He also acknowledged the FCT government’s efforts, particularly infrastructure development, such as roads, which have boosted morale and created a suitable environment for sporting activities.

“Once we introduce this league, it will complement what the FCT government is doing. That’s why we decided the time is now. We reached out to sponsorsand thankfully, Pepsi came on board and supported the vision,” he added.

According to him, the league will feature 10 teams and over 180 matches, running for a duration of five months, primarily on weekends.

However, in cases of weather disruptions like rain, matches may be rescheduled to midweek Wednesdays or Thursdays.

“The league promises not only entertainment but also incentives. The champion of the maiden edition will walk away with a cash prize of ₦1.6 million, while the runner-up and third-place team will receive ₦600,000 and ₦400,000, respectively.

“Pepsi, as the main sponsor, will also provide jerseys for all participating teams, adding value and uniformity to the tournament. Individual brilliance will be rewarded as well, with a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for every match.”
Participating teams include: Holy Ghost FC, Royal Eni FC, Crown Tee FC, Homeboys FC, Cargo FC, Rondo FC, Amazing Grace FC amongst others.

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Sports

A Triumphant Close to the 22nd National Sports Festival

Published

3 days ago

May 29, 2025

The Gleamer

…As organisers promise another spectacle at closing ceremony on Thursday

Joel Ajayi

After 11 days of a true showcase of sporting competition in multiple Sports by some of the country’s top and even promising athletes, the curtain will finally be drawn on what many have described as one of the best ever organised National Sports festivals, when the closing ceremony is held on Thursday at the MKO Sports Arena in Abeokuta.

Whilst the quality of the Games’ opening ceremony is still getting tongues wagging, the entire sporting family and beyond is now anxiously looking forward to what the closing ceremony will look like.

The last 11 days have showcased Ogun state as a true Sporting hub with potential to even do more, with the quality of the facilities built for the games and the enthusiasm of the people who made the various venues their second home in the last few days.

A big testament to this was the history-making crowd that attended the male football final between Ogun state and Kwara State, which the host won by 4-1.

The MKO stadium was filled to full capacity while the crowd outside watching from the big screen reminds one of how much Sports is truly the soul of our togetherness as a country.

From the Alake Sports centre in Ijeja and the Baptist boys high school, to the Obafemi Awolowo square and the Remo stadium both in Ikenne, to the NYSC orientation camp in Shagamu, and the Ilisan town hall in Ilisan, the festival never lacked spectatorship throughout the games.

The Games actually lived up to the pre-tournament hype as both the National Sports Commission, NSC and the Ogun state Government pulled out every administrative capacity to ensure both athletes, officials and the media have an unforgettable experience.

The Gateway Games 2024 had been full of exciting drama and intrigues amongst the states and athletes which led to different new records being set and some old records being shattered.

The festival has also produced for the country some new exciting young talents especially with the shocking performance of the 38th state, the Invited Junior Athletes ( IJA), where they ended up winning some surprised medals to justify the Commission’s establishment of the initiative.

As the Closing ceremony holds on Thursday, the leadership of the National Sports commission, NSC, expresses its profound gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State Government for making sure millions of Nigerian youths see a renewed brighter future in the country through the National Sports Festival.
The NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dilko said ” our overwhelming gratitude goes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR, for his personal commitment to the development of Nigerian Sports by giving us every support financially and otherwise for the success of this festival”.

” And the Ogun state Governor, Dapo Abiodun also deserves a huge praise for the feat we all recorded with these games. I can’t thank him enough and posterity will surely remember him for good “.

The NSC Director General who is also the Chairman of the Main organising committee of the games, Hon Bukola Olopade also extended his gratitude to all the technocrats behind the scene that are responsible for the successful organisation of the games.

” From all the members of the Main organising committee to the various sub committees, to members of the local organising committees and all our technical officials in the various sports to the media and our athletes, every success that everyone is talking about concerning these Games belongs to you all”.

” Yes it was not a perfect festival because we acknowledged we had also some challenges but let me assure everyone that some of the challenges are already being worked upon ahead of the next Games holding in Enugu state next year”, he concluded.

The Closing ceremony is expected to bring together top Government functionaries to captain of industries while there will also be the rich cultural display of the state as Ogun state will officially pass the barton of hosting to Enugu state for the 23rd edition of the Games come September 2026.

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