All roads lead to the Sports Centre of the University of Lagos in Akoka, Yaba, Lagos as the final ceremony of the 5th edition of JOF U-13 Cup Football Championship holds on Sunday.

The journey of the 5th edition, which started on Sunday 11 February, 2024 with a kicked off at Union Bank playground in Surulere with 64 team, as against 32 in the 2023 edition, will be climaxed on 12 May at UNILAG Sports Centre with the final clash between Zamadek Football Academy and HB Utility Football Academy

In its bid to further incentivising participation and encourage the dedication by the players, as well as rewarding talent, the sponsor of JOF U-13 football competition, JOF Nigeria Limited, has jacked up the prize monies to be given to the winners and the three other runners up teams of the fifth edition.

Last year, a packaged prize money of N1,500,000 was doled out, but this year, the sponsor at a media briefing on Thursday in Lagos announced a total prize of N1, 850,000 which will be given out during the closing ceremony scheduled for University of Lagos Sports Centre in Akoka, Yaba, Lagos on Sunday 12 May 2024.

The winners will go home with the sum of N750,000, first runners get N500,000, second and third runners up will pocket N350,000 and N250, 000 respectively.

Individual prizes of N25,000 each will also be given to the Highest Goalscorer, Most Valuable Player and Best Goalkeeper.

Director of Strategic Support Services, JOF Nigeria Limited, Adeyinka Adetunji said that, though the players are still very young to be spoilt with monetary rewards, the need to encourage and motivate them, and to send a strong message that their God-given talent can bring fortune to them if they are serious with what are doing, prompted the increased monetary packages for the players.

He recalled how the sponsor company took JOF All Stars team of 30 players on playing tour of Lagos, Oyo and Ogun State last year’s November and the enthusiasm that followed after the exercise.

“The JOF U-13 Football Tournament has emerged as a catalyst for social cohesion and community engagement for our youths. Through the power of Sports, we have witnessed first-hand JOF All Stars who played PSI of Ibadan and Remo Stars of Ikenne, Ogun State with the sole and of further exposing the boys to top players from the tournament.

“We put them in a week-long camp where we encouraged them to bond together under one roof and exposed them to leadership training program.

“We will still have another set of All Stars team this year after the final. The plan is to expose these youngsters to life outside football.

“The camping and the tour were good exposure for the players. This is a testimony to the fact that we are taken the annual JOF U-13 Football Tournament beyond football with a focus to development these players,” Olatunji said.

Olatunji commended the support the tournament has been receiving from the sporting media since the first edition in 2020. This, he said, is unprecedented; and like Oliver Twist; he asked for more.

He also appreciated the support from some brands which believe in the vision of the tournament.

“This year as usual, we are expecting some brands presence from Milo, Maltina, Indomie, JOF salt, Custodian Insurance, First Bank and others during the final ceremony,” he said.

Secretary of Lagos State Grassroots Soccer Association, Abubakre Ishola said the organization is out to provide a platform for the kids to develop their talent, build character and instil passion for the game in them.

“We would like to express our profound gratitude to our sponsor, JOF Nigeria Limited for their unwavering support and commitment to youth soccer development in Lagos State for the past four years.

“Without the dedication of Dr Olusegun Olugboyegun to our course, event like this would not have been possible. Sir, we are truly grateful for your magnanimous support,” he said.