The school team, which hails from Ajegunle Zone 5, was at its best last weekend when it defeated Oriwu Senior Model College 3-2 in the male category. Oriwu, which clinched the second position at the competition, only woke up to the task after Gaskiya scored three consecutive goals in the first half of the match.
Oriwu had a wake-up call during the second half when it took over the field of play and dominated proceedings, scoring two goals in the process to fill the gap. It took the referee’s final whistle to cage Oriwu Senior Model College on the loser’s side. The competition was fun and entertaining for the students, teachers and principals of all the participating school in Lagos.
Presenting the trophy, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Princess Adebisi Sosan, tasked the students to take education as a basic necessity in their lives, stating that it is the only backbone to their future. She said: “Education and sports are two different things entirely. Without education, you cannot go anywhere, so I implore you to face your studies and always have it at the back of your minds that it is very important in an individual’s life.”
She described this year’s edition of the Principal’s Cup as a competition to reckon with, adding that GTBank has indeed proven beyond reasonable doubt that it was also interested in the Nigerian youth and sports as a whole. Sosan added: “I must say that GTB took a giant step by collaborating with the state government to host this competition. Other organisations should also take a cue from this by making our youths in Lagos actualise their dreams.”
In the female cadre, Alakojo Senior Secondary School beat Akande Dahunsi Memorial High School in the final. In the semi-finals, the Jessica Agu-inspired Akande Dahunsi Memorial High School defeated Ikorodu Senior High School side while Epetedo Girls Grammar School fell to Alakoto Senior Secondary School.
Over 313 schools from different zones participated in this year’s competition, at which Gaskiya Senior College (male) and Alakoto Senior Secondary School (female), both of Zone 5, won a trophy and N1 million each as top prize, while Oriwu Senior Model College, Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School and Agboju Senior Secondary School went away with N750,000, N500,000 and N250,000 respectively as first runner-up, third and the fourth place teams.
In the female category, Akande Dahunsi Memorial High School went home with N750,00 as first runner-up, while Epetedo Senior Girls Grammar School and Ikorodu High School went away with N500,000 and N250,000 respectively as third and fourth positions.
