Jamb organises first national football tournament among tertiary institutions

All arrangements have been concluded to organize first edition of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) football tournament among tertiary institutions in the country.

The football tournament, organized in support with the Kwara State government, is scheduled to take place in Ilorin in July this year for bonafide students of universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and Innovative Entrepreneur Institutions in the country.

Speaking at a press conference on the programme in Ilorin on Tuesday, the Kwara State commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Bolakale Nuhu, said that it was through useful engagement of youth in sports that attention would be diverted away from crimes and invariably involve them in nation building.

The commissioner, who said that the partnership of the state government and the JAMB was borne out of the need to sustain and build on advantage already achieved in youth games, commended the examination body for approving sum of N25 million for sponsorship of the yearly event.

He also lauded the management of JAMB for believing that the nation could stem the tide of moral and social decadence among youth through sports.

The commissioner for Sports also appealed to other well to do individuals and corporate organizations to emulate JAMB by sponsoring completions in other games as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Also speaking, the director of Sports in Kwara State, Tunde Kazeem, said that 16 teams that emerged as semi finalists in NUGA, NIPOGA, NACEGA and others, comprising of 400 players would participate in the tournament in three venues in Ilorin.

Coach Kazeem, who said that use of mercenaries and professional footballers would be discouraged in the tournament, added that the players would be camped in the University of Ilorin.