NSSF Hails High Standards of FirstBank/Samuel Okwaraji Foundation Schools Football Championship

The Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), technical partner for the FirstBank/Samuel Okwaraji Foundation (SOF) National Secondary Schools Football Championship, has commended the impressive standard of organisation and competition recorded in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

With state champions already confirmed across all Northern states and most Southern states, the country’s leading school sports governing body says the competition has lived up to its objective of identifying and nurturing football talents within secondary schools.

Speaking on the progress of the championship, NSSF Secretary General, Dr. Oba Funsho Usman, said the federation’s strict screening and transparent processes have significantly reduced the incidence of age cheating and the use of ineligible players, ensuring that only genuine student-athletes participate.

“We understand the challenges that have undermined many grassroots football initiatives in the past, and we deliberately closed every loophole while taking decisive action against such practices,” Usman said.

“The NSSF is delighted with what has been achieved through the FirstBank/Samuel Okwaraji Foundation Championship. Our primary objective is to provide talented secondary school footballers with a credible national platform to showcase their abilities.

“State representatives have emerged from all the Northern zones—North East, North West and North Central—as well as the South East and South South. The South West states are expected to conclude their finals this weekend.

“We deliberately staggered the state finals to ensure proper organisation, effective monitoring and strict compliance with competition standards. As this is a national championship, maintaining quality and credibility is non-negotiable.

“That is why, as technical partners, we are pleased with the high standards established in this inaugural edition. Our goal is to build a solid foundation for future editions while ensuring that the right talents, within the appropriate age categories, are identified and given the opportunity to progress.”

The championship, also known as the Memoir Cup, is organised in honour of Nigerian football icon Samuel Okwaraji, who tragically collapsed and died on August 12, 1989, while representing Nigeria in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Angola at the National Stadium in Lagos.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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