By VICTOR NWACHUKWU

Organisers of the FirstBank/Sam Okwaraji Under-16 Football Championship have announced Nov. 3 to Nov. 7 as dates for the southern zonal eliminations.

The Secretary of the Organising Committee, Chidozie Achonwa, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the northern zonal eliminations have been concluded, with Bauchi hosting the North-East, Kano the North-West and Abuja the North-Central zones.

“The southern zonal matches will be held across the South-East, South-South and South-West zones,” he said.

Achonwa said the South-East matches would take place at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, while the South-South zone would be played at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar.

He said the South-West matches would be hosted at the Nathaniel Idowu Sports Complex, also known as Maracana, in Lagos.

According to him, two teams from each zone will qualify for the national finals scheduled to hold in Lagos later in November.

He said the championship was sponsored by FirstBank Nigeria Plc and organised through a tripartite collaboration involving the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation, Nigeria School Sport Federation and National Sports Commission.

Achonwa said the competition was organised to immortalise the legacy of the late Nigerian scholar and Super Eagles player, Samuel Okwaraji.

Okwaraji died on Aug. 12, 1989, after collapsing during an international match at the National Stadium, Lagos.

He said the championship also aimed to promote patriotism, education and selfless service, which Okwaraji represented.

Achonwa added that the competition was designed to promote grassroots talent discovery and education through sports.

He said it would also foster national unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerian youths.

The competition, he added, would provide positive engagement for secondary school students and discourage involvement in social vices. (NAN)