Bishops Phillips Academy has emerged victorious in the Oyo State Governor’s Cup, defeating Bashorun High School 4-0 in the final match held at the Lekan Salami Stadium. The tournament, organized by School Sports Foundation and sponsored by Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd, aimed to discover and develop young talents in the state.
The winning school has a special connection to the current Governor, His Excellency Seyi Mankinde, who is an alumnus of the institution. Chief Paul Taiwo Odebunmi, Vice President of the old students association and a former captain of the school football team, led the effort to sponsor the school’s participation in the competition. The old students association camped the players and provided daily allowances throughout the tournament.
Chief Odebunmi, who also had a distinguished career in football, playing for teams like Julius Beggar and Housing Corporation Ibadan, and serving as Chairman of the Ekiti State Football Association and board member of the NFF, expressed his delight in the tournament’s success. “We are thrilled to have participated in this competition, and we appreciate the organizer’s efforts in discovering and developing young talents,” he said.
He also praised the sponsor, Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd, for their support, urging the government to provide additional backing to enable the tournament to continue discovering and nurturing young talents. “We want to make this a continuous effort, not just a one-time event, to follow the progress of these young players and provide them with the necessary facilities to improve,” he added.
The Oyo State Governor’s Cup has proven to be a successful initiative in promoting grassroots football and identifying talented young players. The tournament’s impact is expected to be felt in the years to come, thanks to the dedication of organizers, sponsors, and supporters like Chief Paul Taiwo Odebunmi.
