Orile-Ilugun Comprehensive High School from Ogun on Sunday emerged winners of the South-West Zone in the 2021 edition of National Principals Cup Competition.

The representatives of Ogun won after defeating the Osun representatives, Progressive Comprehensive High School, 2-1 in the South-West finals played at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan.

Orile-Ilugun Comprehensive High School, having emerged zonal winners, have now qualified for the national finals scheduled for Abuja later this month.

Moses Adeyemi, coach of the Ogun team, promised that the school would represent the state and South-West zone well at the national finals in Abuja.

“We feel excited to have claimed the top prize. We must thank our state governor, Dapo Abiodun, for his support and our Principal for the gesture extended to us.

“This is just the beginning of the competition as we are going to put more efforts in playing better at the regional level.

“We have to work on our lapses before the competition. I believe we are winning the trophy for Ogun and the South-West region,’’ he said.

Ademola Are, the Director of Grassroots Sports Development of Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, said he was satisfied with the level of the competition at the zonal level.

Are, who is also the Coordinator, National Principals Cup, said the competition was expected to bring about the revival of the Cup in all the states of the federation.

“The children are happy to be part of the programme and this will definitely reduce youth recklessness.

“Nigeria will be much better for it, in terms of facilities development, creating awareness among the youths and in terms of opportunity to develop these younger athletes.

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“I can tell you Nigeria will not remain the same again from the introduction of these games,’’ he said.

Also, Rafiu Ladipo, the President-General, Nigeria Supporters Club, said he wished to see the likes of Nwankwo Kanu,bAustin Okocha, Segun Odegbami and Daniel Amokachi emerging after the competition.

He said that such were some of the needed effort to develop and improve sports at the grassroot, saying Nigeria would benefit a lot from the sustenance of this laudable initiative.