14 private schools have so far registered to participate at the maiden edition of the Oyo SWAN/Jerona Under 13 Football and Athletics Competitions holding in March and April 2023.
The preliminary of the football event will run through 21st to 24th of March 2023 after the screening of participating kids scheduled for Ikolaba High School, Ikolaba Government Reservation Area in Ibadan.
The schools which have registered for the competition are Brightville College Ashi-Bodija, Chancery School, Bodija International College, Supreme College, Kingsther Royal School, Fontanna International High School as well as Generationext High School.
Others are Notable Naija Sports School Egbeda, Rubbies International College, Kiddies Excel College, Hillcrest Excellence College, Adem Secondary School and Lariken International College All the schools are in Ibadan.
Aside those in Ibadan, Blessing Schools and College from Ago Are in Oke Ogun area of the state has also signified its intention to participate in the competition.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the event, Mr Adewale Tijani said more schools are expected to register for the competition.
He stated that the sports fiesta was being put together by the Oyo State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in partnership with JERONA Sports International, a Non Governmental Organization established by the Chairman Oyo State Athletics Association, Dr. Isaac Friday Ogada to promote sports in the state.
Tijani, who is also the Secretary of SWAN in Oyo State, added that the competition is aimed at a discovering and nurturing talents that will represent the state and nation in future.
“Some of the kids we are planning to discover at the sports fiesta could be lucky to represent Oyo State at the forthcoming National Youth Festival holding in Bayelsa later in the year”, Tijani said.
Speaking further, the LOC Chairman, who expressed optimism that the competition will be hitch free and successful, assured that the organisers are fully prepared for the event just as he called on corporate bodies to come and sponsor the competition.
The Oyo SWAN Secretary hinted that the draw for the football competition will come up on March 17 at Ikolaba High School in Ibadan while the athletic events of the sports festival will be held alongside with the football final in April 2023.
