30 States Ready For Alaafin Unity Cup

States especially from the Northern part of Nigeria have signified their readiness to participate in the maiden Oba Adeyemi National Under-13 Unity Cup slated to commence in Ibadan later next month.

The President of the Sports body, Links Youth Sports International of Nigeria (LYSIN), Niyi Dada who is organizing the tourney in the name of the sports loving respected Yoruba monarch told newsmen in Ibadan that the championship received wide acceptance as more than 30 states have showed interest to participate in the under age competition.

Part of aims behind organizing the tourney according to Dada is to demonstrate Oba Adeyemi’s sincere love and interest in developing grassroots sports in Nigeria, adding that the soccer tourney is just one out of series of grassroots sports competitions lined up in name of the monarch.

The body has however, promised not to leave any stone unturned in making the tournament to meet up with world standard starting from venues, kits and other logistics in place for the tourney.

''Our focus is more on talents discovered at this formative age. Players in this category are more trainable and would enjoy longer competitions span because it would be very difficult to falsify ages of such players,'' Dada noted.

Akanbi Agiri