Lagos State made a big splash at the 2024 Nigeria Secondary School Flag Football Tournament, taking both the boys’ and girls’ championship titles. The event took place at U.J. Esuene Stadium, in Calabar, Cross River State. It brought together schools from all across the country.
Lagos received a ₦1 million cash prize while their former champs, Akwa Ibom, took second place and got ₦700,000. On the girls' side, Abuja finished in third place, and on the boys' side, the Cross River State reached the third place and earned ₦350,000.
The tournament was organized by the Nigeria America Football Association (NAFA) and included teams from eight states: Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Kwara, Abuja, Benue, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom. Each state sent ten players for both the boys’ and girls’ teams.
NAFA President Babajide Akeredolu thanked Cross River for being such a great host and praised all of the participating schools. He spoke about how American football has grown in Nigeria since it was introducted in 2019. He said that it has helped create many jobs, build various skills, and gave young people amazing new opportunities.
“Government support has been crucial in realizing this event. This partnership demonstrates how government involvement can promote sports and its benefits for our community,” Akeredolu told Vanguard.
Emmanuel Ebong, Vice President of the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), talked about the strong partnership between NSSF and NAFA. He said it is helping to spread flag football in schools and give students a new way to stay active and motivated.
“One cannot conduct school sports without the involvement of NSSF, which oversees the youth under the ministry of sports. Most athletes who represent Nigeria at national and international levels begin their journey with us at NSSF,” he said.
Cross River State Governor Senator Bassey Otu, represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Peter Odey, said the state plans to bring flag football into more primary and secondary schools. He also said Cross River hopes to win future tournaments.
Ekpeyong Akiba, the Governor’s Special Adviser, added that promoting sports like American football is part of the state’s effort to support youth development. He thanked NSSF for choosing Cross River to host the event and encouraged locals to support the sport as it grows.
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