BY SUNDAY AKINTOYE
The Lagos State Commissioner of Youth and Social Development, Hon Mobolaji Ogunlende and Director General Lagos State Sport Commission, Lekan Fatodu along with other invited dignitaries would be in attendance to watch the inaugural edition of Mainland Unity Cup scheduled to kick off tomorrow (Saturday) by 4pm at the Ojoniyu Sport Center, Ebute-Metta,Lagos.
The competition is being organised by Damilola Taylor Foundation and sponsored by cup donor, Hon Adekunle Adebanjo popularly known as Froggie.
All the nine wards in Mainland Local government are expected to partake in the competition and only footballers who are 40 years above are eligible to play in the tournament.
The opening match would be played between Ward A football team and Ward B football team.
Adebanjo in his welcome address at the draw ceremony announced that Commissioner For Youth and Social Development, Hon Ogunlende and Hon Lekan Fatodu had promised to be in attendance and declare the tournament open.
He said the purpose of the tournament is to empower the youths through football in the community and also give back to society as a way of his contribution to the football development in the state.
“This tournament is only organised for the footballers who are 40 years above in the Mainland local government and secondly this competition would foster unity among youths in East and West in Mainland.
“People are saying that both East and West cannot do things together but we are using this medium to say the Mainland Unity Cup would bring both of them together for the progress and peace of Mainland,”he said.
Adebanjo who is aspiring to contest for next Mainland LG elections promised that if he is elected as chairman, he would set up Mainland FC that would feature in NNL or NLO.
“There are many local governments in Nigeria that have football teams in NNL and NLO so if I am elected as Mainland chairman, I will raise a football team call Mainland FC and I will do everything to register them to play in NNL or NLO,” he said.