Etisalat U-15 School Cup quarterfinals kickoff

Eight schools have begun their quest for semifinal tickets of the national finals of the third Etisalat Under-15 School Cup competition, which quarterfinals began yesterday at the Digital Bridge, Oshodi.

In the draws conducted on Monday in Lagos, Socrates Secondary School, Ilorin; Niger College, Benin; Sultan Bello Secondary School, Sokoto; and Fosla Academy, Abuja were drawn in Group A. The schools in Group B include General Hassan Usman Katsina Unity College; West Itam Secondary School; New Layout Secondary School and Asegun Comprehensive High School, Ibadan.

The school that wins this year’s edition would receive a cash prize of N2 million in addition to N50, 000 that would be given to each of the students.

Other prizes include N1 million to runners-up and N30, 000 for each student, while N750, 000 would be to the third place school with N20, 000 for each student.

Speaking at the occasion, the Director of Brand and Experience Etisalat, Mr. Elvis Daniel, said since the firm began the journey in 2013, the competition has become sort of a bond created among young people. “And Etisalat is ready to take the tournament to a different level.

“After the first edition that we started in Lagos with 16 schools, we saw the response and we decided to look at the national level. Now it has become an envy of all. The future generation of Nigeria is what we are talking about here. Football goes beyond winning; it is about imbibing the spirit of fair play,” he said.

President of the National School Sports Federation (NSSF), Malam Ibrahim Mohammed, who thanked the mobile network for its effort at encouraging the students, appealed for a female competition.

“You have done a lot by giving these students the opportunity to showcase their talents. I want Etisalat to look at a championship for the girls too. Any time you think of the students, please also think of the teachers too,” he stated.