Rain fails to stop kick-off of 40th YSFON U-16 Cup in Lafia

From Abel Leonard, Lafia

Heavy rain could not wash away the excitement in Lafia on Saturday, August 9, as the 40th Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed U-16 Boys’ Football Tournament roared to life, with hosts Nasarawa State falling 2–4 to Kwara in the opening match of the week-long youth football fiesta.

The downpour briefly disrupted the colourful opening ceremony at the Lafia City Stadium, but young talents from across Nigeria braved the weather to get the competition underway. Organised by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) in collaboration with the Nasarawa State Government and the State Football Association, the tournament has drawn 20 states to Lafia, with more expected to join the fray.

Nasarawa State is in Group A alongside Kwara, Plateau, and Sokoto States. Group B features FCT Abuja, Gombe, and Benue States, while Group C has Ondo, Kebbi, and Bauchi States. Group D includes Enugu, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Borno States. Six more states arrived later on Saturday and will be slotted into the groups by the organisers.

Sunday’s day-two fixtures will see Plateau take on Sokoto at 8 a.m., FCT Abuja face Benue at 9 a.m., Ondo clash with Kebbi at 10 a.m., and Enugu lock horns with Kaduna at 11 a.m. Only two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, with the tournament climaxing on Saturday, August 16.

National Technical Director of YSFON, Abdulgafar Agboola, described the competition as a “hitch-free and historic tournament in the making”.

“This is a tournament organised in memory of the late Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, who was assassinated on February 13, 1976,” Agboola explained. “It began in 1977 and has become an annual event to discover hidden football talents from Nigeria and abroad, with past participation from countries like Ghana, Benin Republic, Niger, and Norway.”

He praised Governor Abdullahi Sule for bringing the event to Nasarawa for the first time in over two decades. “The governor has shown real passion for sports development. The state is peaceful, hospitable, and organised. We promise to deliver a successful and memorable edition,” he said.

Nasarawa YSFON Chairman, Suleiman Usman Bako, expressed pride in hosting the tournament and thanked the national leadership for the opportunity. “We are glad to be part of this historic moment. Sports remain one of the major unifying forces in our society today. We wholeheartedly appreciate Governor Sule for making funds available to host this great tournament,” Bako said.

He also commended the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Kwanta Yakubu, his ministry’s staff, and the State FA for their contributions.

The Chairman of the Nasarawa State Football Association, Salisu Usman Galadima, performed the ceremonial kick-off to declare the tournament open officially.