St. Finbarrs, Jubril Martins Book GTBank Masters Cup Semis

St. Finbbars College Akoka and Jubril Martins yesterday at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, booked their place in the semi-finals in the Season 6 of the GTBank Masters Cup.

The Akoka Bombers defeated International School, Lagos 5-0 in a one sided encounter.

In another encounter, Jubril Martins Memorial Grammar School defeated St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, 5-3 via penalty shootouts after playing 2-2 in regulation time.

Anwar-ul-Islam College, Agege defeated King’s College by a lone goal, while Greensprings School, Lekki got the better of Eko Boys High School, Mushin 4-2 after 1-1 at full time.

In the female category, AnsarUd-Deen Girls High School, Itire walloped Dowen College, Lekki 8-0, while Queens College, Yaba beat International School, Lagos 3-0.

Earlier on Thursday, Greensprings School defeated Methodist Girls High School 2- 0, while Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Isolo defeated Jubril Martins Memorial Grammar School 3-0 via penalty shootouts.

Established in 2012, the GTBank Masters Cup is an annual football competition for first generation and private secondary schools in Lagos State, to promote camaraderie and foster friendliness amongst competing schools.

Commenting on the competition, Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said “We are proud to lead this initiative that provides an avenue for students to showcase their talents and passion for the game of football even as they remain committed to their academics.” He further stated.

May 20 is going to be a special day in Delta State. It is going to mark the consummation of the vision of the Ifeanyi Okowa led Delta State Government to restore the heritage of the Principal's Cup, a platform which gave life to Nigerian football and empowered the youth to great career heights.

The state's Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chiedu Ebie, described the mission as: "one key area for us is in the improvement of schools sports. To this end, one area we focused on is football, and the Principals Cup. Our focus is long term and our plan is that it will serve as a breeding ground for discovering young footballing talents bearing in mind that Delta State is known for its sporting prowess and achievements".

This resonates succinctly with the cry by veteran David Aigbovo for the return of the competition. In the days of the old Bendel State, the goalkeeper won the competition thrice, consecutively, with New Era College, Benin, went on to join the Flying Eagles in 1981 and the Super Eagles thereafter, also playing club football for Flash Flamingoes, Bendel Insurance and Shooting Stars of Ibadan with which he won the CAF Cup in 1992. He once told The Guardian Newspaper that "for our schools sports system to thrive once again we have to go back to the basics and that means bringing back the culture of the Principals Cup".

In clear professional approach to the task, Ebie and his team determined not to make it a burden on the state, by seeking partnership with the private sector, retaining the services of sports marketing firm, Hideaplux Limited, and, together, secured the sponsorship and partnership of Zenith Bank by which the competition is now titled “Zenith Bank Delta Principals Cup”.

The revival kicked off in March with local government preliminaries where the winners, 19 public and six private schools, emerged from the zonal qualifiers which took place from May 4-7. The quarter finals began last Monday May 8 while the semis are equally scheduled for May 16 to set the stage for the grand occasion on May 20 at the recently commissioned Ozoro Polytechnic Stadium, a venue which now is a metaphor for the power of the Okowa government to achieve possibilities even in difficult times.

The rekindled experience of the Principals Cup brings back glorious memories of life in the old Midwest, later Bendel, and now Edo and Delta States. Memories of great footballers who effectively combined education and sports to become national heroes, with many of them called into the Bendel Academicals and then to the national teams right from their secondary schools. Names like the Afejukus, Sam Okpodu, Ndubuisi Okosieme, Thompson Usiyen, late Stephen Keshi, Paul Okoku, Bright Omokaro, Franklyn Howard, Austin Eguavoen, Humphrey Edobor, Friday Elahor, Clement Temile, Edema Fuludu, late Osaro Obobaifor, the list is endless. They showed us the greatness in youth and the huge potentials of schools sport.

No doubt, sports throws up new champions, but those who lived the tradition will be excited with the return of Hussey College, Warri, and Urhobo College, Effurun, to the Zenith Bank Delta Principals Cup. Those schools, alongside Sapele Technical College, Government College Ughelli, Ika Grammar School, St Patrick's College, Asaba, Anglican Grammar School, Ubuluku, and others bore the flag of the Delta zone in contest against schools like New Era College, Western Boys High School, Edokpolor Grammar School, Eghosa Grammar School, Immaculate Conception College (ICC) and Edo College on the Benin axis.

The 1975 finals of the competition was especially a tell-tale. Benin City and Warri Township were virtually shut down when Hussey College stormed the Ogbe Stadium to defeat Eghosa Grammar School 1-0 in the final. The excitement reverberated not only across Bendel as they awaited their champion but even to Lagos area as the likes of Keshi, Henry Nwosu, Okoku looked out from the windows of St. Finbars College and St. Gregory’s College for their possible opponent in the national finals.

The following year, Hussey College met their Waterloo in the hands of New Era College which paraded Bright Omokaro, Humphrey Edobor and others who progressed to become big names for New Nigeria Bank (NNB), the Flying Eagles and the Super Eagles. Algerian national team icon, Rabar Madger, once confessed that, of all defenders in Africa, he dreaded Bright Omokaro the most.

There was Prince Oritsuwa Afejuku. He started at Okpe Grammar School, Sapele, and proceeded to Edo Grammar School in 1977 to win not only the state but also the National finals of the Principals Cup. He was instantly invited into the Bendel State Academicals and scored the two goals in Academicals 2-3 defeat to Flying Eagles in a 1978 friendly to prepare the national youth team for an international competition. Still in secondary school, he was invited to Bendel Insurance where his performance earned him call up to the Flying Eagles in 1978 to team up with Stephen Keshi and other schoolboys.