Government Secondary School (GSS), Damaturu, will take on GSS, Goneri, in the first semi-final of the maiden edition of the Sam Okwaraji Under-16 Soccer Tournament in Yobe State as the competition reaches its decisive stage.
The two semi-final matches are scheduled for Sunday at the Game Village in Damaturu, with the grand finale set to take place on Monday at the same venue.
The Yobe State Commissioner for Education, Professor Abba Idris, is expected to grace the occasion as the Special Guest of Honour.
The tournament is organised by the Sam Okwaraji Foundation and the Nigerian School Sport Federation (NSSF), in collaboration with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), and is sponsored by First Bank Plc.
Designed to identify and nurture young football talents at the grassroots level, the championship has showcased impressive performances from participating schools across the state.
Speaking ahead of the semi-finals, the Sports Coordinator in the Yobe State Ministry of Education, Hassan Dauda, praised the quality of football displayed throughout the competition, describing the standard as outstanding.
He commended Governor Mai Mala Buni and the State Commissioner for Education, Professor Abba Idris, for their unwavering support towards the development of sports and youth football in Yobe State and Nigeria at large.
Dauda also called on residents of the state to turn out in large numbers to support the young footballers and create an exciting atmosphere for the semi-final clashes.
The stakes remain high, as the eventual champions will earn the right to represent Yobe State at the North-East regional qualifiers, with the winners progressing to the national finals of the championship scheduled to hold in Lagos later this year.
The Sam Okwaraji Under-16 Soccer Tournament is expected to serve as a vital platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian football stars while promoting grassroots sports development across the country.
