The respected Yoruba monarch, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the&nbsp; Aalafin of Oyo has confirmed 24th August for the commencement of underage competition instituted for him by Links Sports which will be played at Durbar Stadium Oyo.<br /><br />The grassroot soccer tourney tagged &lsquo;Oba Adeyemi Unity Under-17 Tournanment&rsquo; would end on by 31st with more than 30 states across the federation already signified interest to participate.<br /><br />The Secretary General of the sports Olumide Olabode who disclosed this to newsmen in Ibadan said the tournament was instituted out of the first class Oba&rsquo;s concern for the decline in our sports especially at the grassroots.<br /><br />He added that all arrangements have been made by Links Sports to stage an itch-free and memorable maiden tourney which will subsequently be coming up annually with its hosting right rotating to cover every part of the country.<br /><br />Oba Adeyemi at the trophy&rsquo;s presentation event held at the palace square in Oyo charged the organizer to ensure a strict compliance to<br />the stipulated age for the tourney to correct the ills that always surround under aged sports competition.<br /><br />While the sports loving traditional ruler also called on Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to monitor the tournament for talents in<br />order to strengthen our national Under-17 team ahead of thier subsequent engagements.<br /><br />Aalafin said all the stakeholders in our sport shared in the blame concerning the decline noticed in our sports.<br /><br />'' We are not always sincere in implementing our grassroots sports developmental programmes, and that was why we are not getting the desired results,'' Aalafin noted.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the sports body through their states&rsquo; chapters has also lined-up much other soccer competitions for the development of the<br />game across the nation which include Dr, Agabi soccer championship Keffi zone, slated for 23rd to 17th August, National U-13 Girls Unity Cup scheduled for Oyo State between 11th to 18th August.<br /><br /><b>Akanbi Agiri</b><br /><br />