Olayinka Shokoya, the Founder and Chief Executive Organiser (CEO) of Elite School Cup, on Friday called on corporate organisations and individuals for support to discover more talents through school sports.
Shokoya made the call during the Conference Cup Competition, a grassroots sports development programme, for Ikorodu division held at Kith and Kin Sports Complex, Ebute-Ikorodu, Lagos.
He noted that the Conference Cup competition, in its second division, had grown with benefits, hence there was the need for more participations.
“This is the second conference that we have out of the four core conferences in Lagos. We have just concluded that of Epe and now at Ikorodu conference.
“We thank God for schools that are here; because scouts are around to identify talents.
“We are calling on spirited individuals, sports enthusiasts, organisations and government at all levels to support and sponsor events such as this, where budding talents can be discovered,” he said.
Shokoya said that the champions that emerged from each of the conferences would participate and compete at the grand finals.
“We have more games that will be included to have a larger competition.
“I commend all the participating schools especially the owner of Kith and Kin Educational School for supporting the competition with facility to host the games.
“Our children should concentrate on thier studies, while they also have the opportunity to also showcase their talents.
“This kind of competition will enable some students discover their talent and be fit to feature in FA competition,” he said.
Shokoya added: “We can see that the school that represented Lagos State in the MILO football competition for Secondary Schools was discovered through competitions like this event.
“We are getting our objectives right but we need funding, partnership and collaboration,” he said.
Also speaking, Kaoli Olusanya, owner of Kith and Kin School, said the three important domains in education – effective, cognitive and the psychomotor, are important for young people to be roundly educated.
According to Olusanya, it is important for the children to be skilled in the three domains in which one of it, the psychomotor, is to build a healthy body system that will make them engage effectively in class.
However, he said that his school was ready to partner the organisers of Elite School Cup for sustenance and make it an annual event in Ikorodu division.
“This sports event is exciting and interesting; our philosophy is not just to turn students to only classroom but also to engage them in different sporting activities so that they can discover their talents.”
The Captain of Kith and Kin School football team, Mustpha Badejo, commended the organisers and also called for more support.
Abigail Apute, a Basketball team member of Charismatic International School, said the competition was interesting and encouraging and that it also gives the girl child opportunity to discover her talent.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that winners in the various sports conferences will compete at the finals of the conference cup.
Ten schools, both male and female, competed in different categories of sports including Basketball, Football, Chess and Volleyball in the conference cup in Ikorodu.
In football, Frontrunner College won the boys category while Davidhall College won the girls finals.
In Basketball, Topfield College emerged winner in the boys category while Kigsfield College clinched the girls category. (NAN)