As part of efforts to curb youth restiveness in Lagos State, Senior Special Advisers, SSA’s, to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu have come together under the BOS Academy to organize the 1st edition of the BOS Youth Cup.
Addressing a news briefing in Alausa Ikeja alongside others, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Mr Anthony Adeboye said the maiden edition of the cup would focus on a football competition for youths under 21 years across all Local Government Areas and Council Development Areas within the State.
Mr Adeboye who announced that online registration is already ongoing through a dedicated website www.bosyouthcup.com expressed optimism that latent talents would be discovered that would impact positively on not just the youths alone, but also on the State in the long run.
“This initiative will unlock the doors for discovering budding talents and serve as catalyst for development of our local league, forming the pivot for recruitment into our National team. It will also empower many youths and further create business opportunities for other stakeholders with a multiplier effect on the State’s economy” he said
On the modalities for selecting players, the State Football Association Technical Committee Chairman, Mr Dotun Coker, said trials for the tourney would commence from this week to select players representing each local council, while the grand finale of the competition would hold at Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena, Onikan.
“To ensure all the objectives and goals of the BOS Youth Cup are transparently achieved, all shortlisted players must have the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, LASRRRA Card, this is a prerequisite. A seminar shall be organised for key stakeholders in the 20 LGAs where the rules and regulations of the event shall be explained, Laws of the Game focused on clarifications on the controversial of and amendments on the Laws of the Game and First Aid Medicals. Engagement of experienced sports medical personnel including ALS Ambulances.Create pool of Ambassadors to better Lagos State and Nigeria in general” the Lagos State FA technical Committee Chair clarified.
Mr Coker explained that the tournament is designed to be ranked by the various football governing bodies with a view to making it an international event in the forthcoming years.
In a remark, an Olympic medalist and former Super Eagles’ goalkeeper, Mr Joseph Dosu who thanked Governor Sanwo-Olu for prioritizing sports development, commended the SSAs for the tourney and expressed hope that it would lead to the discovery of talents just like his.
“I wish us the very best of luck in this tournament, injury free players and I hope we’ll surely see talents” he said
On his part, a licensed football intermediary, Otunba Adedapo Kujore-Olowu stated that the tournament is one of the things greatly needed by youths in Lagos at this time.
“I am here to offer my support to see how we can see the diamond among them, nurture them to not just become footballers, but to be a credit to the State. This tournament is not just about football, but about youth empowerment” the prominent talent scout explained
The Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Gboyega Akọsilẹ who coordinated the news briefing urged Lagosians, especially sports loving individuals to support the initiative as the BOS academy is open to organising other sporting events in the future.
