Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) 1st Vice President Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi has assured that the Ogunjobi Football House will be completed soon.

The project which started in 2018 was among the football houses built by the Amaju Malvin Pinnick led NFF Board.

Akinwunmi, the Lagos State Football Association boss and other Southwest State Football Associations chairmen of Otunba Sunday Dele-Ajayi (Ondo), Bayo Olanlege (Ekiti), Gani Majekodunmi (Ogun), James Adeniran (Oyo) and Alhaji Mustapha Abulrasaq (Osun) came under the agies of the Western Nigeria Football Forum (WNFF) to host the maiden Taiwo Ogunjobi Memorial Under-15 Tournament.

Speaking during the award night of WNFF/Taiwo Ogunjobi U-15 Tourney in Osogbo last weekend, Akinwunmi said: “Apart from honouring Taiwo Ogunjobi, we will also help the host Football Association, Osun, complete the Ogunjobi Football House.

“We have raised some money from among ourselves, but we are also looking for help to complete the Ogunjobi Football house project which houses the Osun FA.

“We hope that next year, we will take the project to another state, which will benefit from the programme until all the states have their own football houses.”

Meanwhile NPFL/La Liga U15 champions Remo Stars were crowned winners of the Ogunjobi Memorial Under-15 Tourney after they pipped Osun State counterparts 1-0 to lift the title.

Oyo and Osun State U15 teams are through to the semi-finals of the Ogunjobi U15 Memorial Cup after they compounded the woes of Ekiti and Ogun State U15 teams respectively.

A beehive of activities returned to the Sports Complex Ataoja School Of Science in Osogbo as six goals were scored on Matchday 2 of the tournament.

The Oyo State team who defeated a 10-man Lagos State team on Matchday 1, took the game to their counterparts from Ekiti State who had piped Kwara State in their opening fixture.

Shittu Fawaz was the unsung hero after he broke inside Ekiti State U15 team box, and hammered home the goal in confident fashion in the 20 minute and at the end proved to be the winner for his Oyo State team.

For Osun, they had Hamzat Qureeb to thank, after he scored from a sublime free kick in 52nd minute.

Victory for Oyo and Osun State U15 teams on Matchday 2 have placed each on top their groups with 6points each.

It was a superb Matchday 2 outing for Lagos State U15 team as they put behind their loss to Oyo State to beat Kwara State 3-1.

The Eko Boys meant business as they got a 5th minute lead through Uche Egwu and from there, he put his team in the driver’s seat.

Twenty-five minutes later, Kwara State U15 scored their first goal of the campaign after Arowolo Daniel broke in and steered the ball into the bottom corner of Lagos State goal to restore parity for his team.

Lagos then needed nine minutes to seal off the game to earn their first 3points and a chance to advance into the semi-finals, after Romans Obinna latched onto a defensive error by Team Kwara’s defender and coolly slotted home to restore Team Lagos lead in the 51st minute.

As the game got to its one hour mark; Afolabi Kehinde puts the game beyond Team Kwara’s reach with the third goal, after he dribbled past his makers and found the back of the net.

It was not too rosy for NPFL/LaLiga champions Remo Stars U15 after they shared the spoils with Ondo State.

MatchDay 2 Results

Remo Stars 0-0 Ondo State
Lagos State 3-1 Kwara State
Ekiti State 0-1 Oyo State
Ogun State 0-1 Osun State

MatchDay 3 Fixtures

Osun State vs Remo Stars – 10:00 AM
Ekiti State vs Lagos State – 11:00 AM
Oyo State vs Kwara State -12:00 PM
Ogun State vs Ondo State – 1:00 PM

VENUE: Sports Complex Ataoja School Of Science, Osogbo

#OgunjobiMemorialCup22

NPFL/LaLiga U15 champions Remo Stars and U15 teams of Oyo, Osun and Ekiti got their first 3points on Matchday 1 of the maiden edition of the Taiwo Ogunjobi U15 Memorial Cup.

The opening fixture of the one-week long soccer fiesta at the Sports Complex Ataoja School Of Science in Osogbo, lived up to its hype after Oyo U15 got the better off their bitter rivals Lagos with a 2-1 scoreline.

It took Oyo State 16 minutes to break the resilience of Lagos State defence as Maruf Umar made history as he became the first goal scorer of the when he scored from a stunning strike to give his team the lead.

With Oyo State going into the break of half-time with a comfortable lead, the onus was on Lagos State to find the equalizing goal in the 2nd half.

That was not to be; as two minutes into the 2nd half, Shittu Fawaz pounced on lose ball from a poor defending to double the lead for Oyo State.

Francis Ajibola then gave Lagos State a lifeline after he reduced the tally from a goalmouth scramble in the 51st minute.

In the opening fixtures of Group B, 10 man Team Osun defeated their Ondo State counterpart thanks to Jimoh Kamaldeen’s 49th minute strike.

Team Osun were reduced to 10 players after Ossai Alex picked his second booking of the match for a late tackle on Oluwole Kehinde, and was sent off.

In the Ogun Derby, Remo Stars claimed the bragging rights after they beat Ogun State U15 team 2-0.

The young Sky Blue Stars scored in both halves, and took the lead through Wahab Hassan in the 23rd minute and missed a spot kick a minute after. Thirty minutes later, the NPFL/LaLiga champions then put the icing on the cake after Wahab Hassan scored the winner from close range.

In the last game of the Matchday One, Ekiti State pipped Kwara State in a keenly contested match, as Pelumi Agbegunde jabs home a well tailored cross to earn a valuable 3 points.

MatchDay One Results

Group A
Oyo State 2-1 Lagos State
Kwara State 0-1 Ekiti State

Group B
Osun State 1-0 Ondo State
Remo Stars 2-0 Ogun State

MatchDay 2 Fixtures (Thursday Aug 18)

Ondo State vs Remo Stars – 10:00 AM
Lagos State vs Kwara State – 11:00 AM
Ekiti State vs Oyo State -12:00 PM
Ogun State vs Osun State – 1:00 PM

VENUE: Sports Complex Ataoja School Of Science, Osogbo

OgunjobiMemorialCup22

The groupings and fixtures for the maiden edition of the Western Nigeria Football Forum/Late Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi Memorial U-15 Football Tournament and Award ceremony have been released by the organizers.

A two group A and B with four teams and fixtures were unveiled by the organizers with interesting opening day matches that will herald the Wednesday kick-off date of the one-week soccer fiesta.

The two groups consist of tough teams with interesting fixtures, as old rivalries will be renewed during the tournament.

Group A is made up of U15 teams of Oyo, Lagos, Kwara and Ekiti while NPFL/La Liga U15 national championships; Remo Stars U15 will be slugging it out against Osun, Ondo and Ogun in Group B.

The format will see the eight (8) teams play 12 group stage matches; three each for a team, with each group leader and second placed team advancing to the semi-finals.

Winners of Group A and B will take on Runners-Ups of B and A respectively for a place in the grand finale.

Oyo State versus Lagos State will renew their rivalry with the first match of the tourney fixed for 10 am at the NYSC Orientation Camp Pitch in Ede.

Next will be Osun versus Ondo, two hours later. The stage will be set at 2pm as it’s an Ogun Derby, will Remo Stars squaring things up with the Ogun State U15 team.

The last game of the day will be between Kwara State and Ekiti Bees at 4 pm.

A high-powered delegation led by Ondo State FA boss, Otunba Dele Ajayi arrived Osogbo, the capital of Osun State and immediately visited designated hotels, proposed match venues and medical facilities.

Speaking to reporters after the one day inspection tour, the Co-Chairman of the Main Organising Committee, Otunba Dele Ajayi is optimistic of a memorable tourney poised to live up to its billing.

“We have got an idea of the progress level of the tournament after going round to check on the available facilities.

“What we have seen at these facilities were exact things the LOC provided the MOC in their reports.

“So, we have taken key decisions as regards accomodations, feeding and match centres. The LOC has done a good job and we are going to have a befitting championship.

“Football fans in the Southwest should expect the best because the states will present their best U-15 teams for the competition. Camping is ongoing and you know our zone leads by example.”

The former Chairman of NFF Finance Committee took time to eulogized the legacies of the immediate past Chairman of Osun FA, late Chief Taiwo Joseph Ogunjobi whose good works still speaks volume till date.

“We have seriously missed late Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi who was the leader of Western Nigeria Football Forum until the time when he transited to life beyond. That’s the reason we are immortalising him with this tournament.

” Late Ogunjobi did very well, he played the game and administered it as former General Secretary of Nigeria Football Association (NFA) now NFF. He was a distinguished leader and a caring father. May his soul continue to rest in peace.” Ajayi noted.

The inspection team was led by Otunba Dele Ajayi, host State FA Chairman Otunba Rasaq lshola Mustapha (RIM), a member of Main Organising Committee who’s equally the Ekiti FA Chairman, Mr. Bayo Olanlege and members of Local Organising Committee.

The football tournament and award ceremony, according to Main Organizing Committee will hold from 16th August to 21st with the awards holding in the evening of the final.

The Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the Late Taiwo Ogunjobi Memorial U-15 Football Competition has been inaugurated by the 1st Vice President Nigeria Football Federation and the Coordinator of the South West Zone, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi with a charge to organise a first of its kind, world class Youth Football Competition and Awards Night.

Akinwunmi, who is also the Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association admonished the committee led by Otunba Tade Azeez and Otunba Dele Ajayi as Co Chairmen to deliver on the task of not only delivering a world class event but ensuring that it was of a standard worthy of the name and legacy of late Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi.

While inaugurating the committee, Akinwunmi expressed his absolute confidence in the MOC members and reiterated that the motive behind the organisation of the Football competition and Awards Night was to honour the memory of late Ogunjobi who was a player, a team administrator, an FA Chairman, the Secretary General of NFF and up till the time of his death, a member of Western Nigeria Football Forum, and to immortalize his name in recognition of his contribution to the growth of Football in the South West states and in the country at large.

BSA as he is popularly called said “leadership is about legacy, that is why the competition and awards night is single mindedly centred around football and our desire to immortalize late Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi.

“We therefore expect a world class event that will stand out in the history of Football in our country”.

The event will hold between August 16th and 21st in Osogbo.

Other members of the MOC are ; Oba James Odeniran, Mr Bayo Olanlege, Chief Mustapha Razaq (Chairman,Local Organizing Committee), Mr. Niyi Alebiosu, Mr Dotun Coker, Dr Bayo Oluwatoki, Mr Toyin Ibitoye, Mr.Taiwo Odebunmi, Mr Akintunde Akinsemola and Mr Sola Ogunowo(Secretary).

Local Organizing Committee of the maiden edition of Taiwo Ogunjobi Memorial U-15 Football Tournament and Awards Night billed for Tuesday August 16, through Sunday August 21, 2022, has released a list of Eight (8) Sub-Committees.

The forum of all the South West States Football Associations under the aegis of the Western Nigeria Football Forum (WNFF) are using the U-15 championship to immortalise the former General Secretary of the Nigerian Football Association (NFA), late Chief Taiwo Joseph Ogunjobi.

In the eight (8) Sub-Committees of the tournament, General Coordinator of the nation’s prestigious domestic league pre-season tourney, Tunde Shamsudeen, has been listed into two Sub-Committees.

Shamsudeen who hosts yearly the Ogunjobi Gold Cup Preseason Tournament was listed as the Chairman of Award/Media & Publicity Committee and a member of Entertainment Committee, while the Media Director of Osun United, Seyi Akanni was named in the media team.

Shamsudeen and Akanni are to bring to play their solid years of media experience and sports reportage, as they are to oversee the Award/Media & Publicity Committees with Prince Dauda Abimbola.

Prince Adeogun Isiaka alongside Tunde Shamsudeen, Odun Festus and Tunde Adebiyi
are to make plans as regards entertainment committee.

In the other Sub Committees, Hon.Rawlings Oyebayo and Olufemi Bankefa are to deliberate on matters concerning Security.

The Referee Committee, has the trio of Hon. Adio Suleiman, Mr. Latunde Gbenga and Mr Tunde Adebiyi.

Honourable Adio Suleiman who is Chairman of the Ref’s Committee is also the Chairman of a three-man Finance Committee with Engr. Aina Kehinde and Mr Sola Fayoyiwa.

The Medical Committee consist of Alhaji Omolaja Najeem, Hon.Rawlings Oyebayo and Elder Adelowo.

Furthermore, members the championship Local Organizing Committee (LOC) are members of the Facilities/Pitch/Accommodation and Disciplinary Sub-Committees.

Recall, the WNFF led by the First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Barrister Seyi Akinwumi, last weekend disclosed that in honour of late Ogunjobi and what he stood for during his lifetime, the events is aimed to promote youth and grassroots football development and celebrate distinguished sports stakeholders in the region.

The head coach of Osun Utd., Olatunji Baruwa has exhorted his wards to remain focus and develop a strong character following the team’s resurgence after strings of poor results.

Recall that, Omoluabi Giants only garnered a point from their game involving Gateway Utd, Bendel Insurance, Abeokuta Stomers and Adoration FC.

Again, Baruwa tutored side have failed to register any goal in the first half at home to the dismay of die hard supporters. The story remain unchanged as the team welcomed J_Atete FC in matchday 10 of Nigeria National League.

The contest decided at the mainbowl of Obafemi Awolowo University football pitch in lle-lfe saw the visitors fluffed a glorious moment inside ten minutes as God’stime Edewor’s pointblank delivery from the edge of the area agonizingly sails inches wide.

Immediately after the break, the host rejigged their personnel and it yielded instant impact.
Substitute, Habeeb Owolabi sent the host infront from a rebound, pint sized winger Quozeem Raheem had earlier dispatched a ferocious rockets which Efe Toke in goal couldn’t held on to and former Rehoboth FC forward smashed it home from close range to register his fourth goal of the current campaign at the stroke of fifty minutes.

The goal was all that matter as the visitors’ threatening moves were brilliantly and constantly kept at bay by resolute pairings of Akilapa Olusola and Aminu at the back.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Baruwa who couldn’t hide his affection remarked thus; ” we are delighted with the final score line after giving out points cheaply in our previous encounters.

“Big kudos to the boys for their efforts. We will continue to work hard and leave other distractions to achieve our goals. The three points will restore our confidence as we seek to reclaim the lost points henceforth, we know where we belong and where we aim to finish, until we get there, we won’t relent.”

Believe and Achieve side will hit the road once more as the first round draw curtains by the weekend. Ibom Youth who lost on the road shall welcome Omoluabi Giants.

The maiden edition of the ‘Apex League’ would see most of the Nigeria Nationwide League One outfits jostle for the revered shield.

The league which would be played on home and away basis week in week out is adjusted in line with Nigeria Football Federations calendar.

As informed by the secretariat, rules guiding Nigeria Nationwide League One shall be applied throughout the season. The licenses obtained by teams are expected to be returned to FA secretariat by Tuesday, 10th of August 2021.

Below are the schedule for inspection itinerary:

Monday August 2nd 2021, Ayedire Utd., Hammola FC, Fehinty FC and Kuta XI.

Tuesday August 3rd 2021, Timi Giant FC , HMK FC and Hadji Hammed FC

Wednesday August 4th 2021 ..Olansile FC, Victory Police FC, All Star AUD and Orolu FC

It is therefore to be noted that, FA won’t hesitate to step down any team that presented a questionable and below standard home ground.

State of Osun Apex League is an initiative of Osun FA under the distinguished leader, Chief Rasaq Ishola Mustapha RIM, the league is expected to commence by mid-August.

Ahead of the new NLO season, Hammola International Football Club of Ido-Osun has landed in llorin with very high expectations after a rigorous preseason activities.

As teams gear up and arrive for new NLO season, the Lee Bombers as they are fondly called gleefully touched down in high spirit. One could notice how players and officials calmly set their attention immediately on the warranted impetus.

Having unveiled its personnel and iconic kits few days back, with the addition of newly acquired bus and necessary equipments for optimum effectiveness, the club is poised for a big statement when the league finally underway on Monday.

The club under the able leadership of Coach cum Football Administrator AbdulRasheed Adeniran has fulfilled all righteousness required by organizers. Having affiliated with state of Osun FA, registered with Corporate Affairs Commission, completed players license on-time, with participation fee also paid, Lee Bombers are battle ready and gear up for the big task.

Again, the club’s camp boobles today after being given clean bill of health as samples of players and officials taken for mandatory Covid-19 test returned negative.

All eye would be on KFA centre later today as teams converge for draws and prematch activities. Hammola FC are having the ambition of picking the sole ticket in the centre.