Sports
Swimming, football talents shine at CSL Games
Young swimming and football talents displayed impressive skills at the inaugural CSL Junior School Games hosted by CitySports Africa, with Supreme Education Foundation School emerging as football champions.
The groundbreaking event, held on Saturday in Lagos, brought together six leading schools, including Pershing Hills Elementary School, Prior Preparatory School, Supreme Education Foundation, British International Junior School, The Learning Place, and Hampton Preparatory School.
Supreme Education Foundation School defeated Prior Preparatory School 3-1 in the football final to claim the title, whilst British International Junior School finished third after beating The Learning Place 2-1 in the third-place match.
Pershing Hills Elementary School secured fifth place with a 1-0 victory over Hampton Preparatory School.
The swimming competition also proved highly competitive, with participants showcasing their talents across various categories.
Speaking on the success of the event, CEO CitySports Africa, Shola Opaleye, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to building platforms that nurture talent and promote sportsmanship.
“The maiden CSL Junior School Games is the beginning of a movement that places values above victories. Watching these children compete with courage, cheer for one another, and embrace the true spirit of sportsmanship has been deeply inspiring,” Opaleye said.
“Through the CSL Challenger theme, our vision is to raise a generation of young athletes who understand that leadership, respect, and teamwork matter just as much as winning. This event reflects our broader mission at CitySports Africa to impact 10 million youths by 2035, reaching at least 1 million each year with opportunities that inspire growth, build character, and shape future leaders.”
Bolanle Adewale, Executive Director of The Learning Place, commended the initiative whilst emphasising the importance of participation over winning.
“This is the first time we are hosting the tournament, and the reason for this is that we believe the children should develop the theme of collaboration. We believe that it’s an opportunity for them to get the exposure that’s needed for resilience, to compete and collaborate with their counterparts,” Adewale said.
“It’s not necessarily about winning. It’s more about collaborating, in my opinion. I say to the children that they never lose. When you do not win, you have learnt. You have learned how to do it better, so never feel like it’s the end of the world.
“Every child today has been a winner, in my opinion. The fact that they could participate at all, come out and be a part of it, is priceless. We commend City Sports Africa specifically for these junior school games because without them, we couldn’t have put this together.”
Coach Samson Davies, whose Supreme Education Foundation School team won the football title, praised his players’ commitment and performance, saying, “The kids have been fantastic. We have been training every day because of this competition, and we are also preparing for the African School Games and other competitions.
“This is just the first one out of the few competitions we are preparing for the last quarter of this year, and we hope to win all. In this final, they played really fantastically well, and I’m proud of them.”
Farit Surakat, who scored in the final and was his team’s best player of the tournament, expressed his delight at winning the competition.
“I feel very good about the competition playing against the other kids, and I had a good tournament. My favourite game was the final because we won the competition,” the midfielder, who idolises AC Milan star Luka Modric, said.
The event, proudly supported by FBNQuest Merchant Bank and Lagoon Hospitals, highlighted the IAmACSLChallenger theme, a movement dedicated to erasing the ‘win at all costs’ mentality while empowering young athletes to rise as true leaders both on and off the field.
Parents, coaches, and supporters commended the initiative for creating a safe, inclusive, and inspiring environment for children to express themselves through sports.
CitySports Africa is a leading grassroots sports development organisation dedicated to empowering young athletes across the continent through structured competitions, training programmes, and international opportunities.
Through initiatives like the CitySports League and the Global Sports Program, the organisation continues to champion youth talent, sportsmanship, and the values of leadership, teamwork, and integrity.
Port Harcourt the capital city of Rivers State will be at the centre stage in Nigeria as Port Harcourt Arsenal Community will hold her maiden edition of Football Fans Fiesta (FFF).
The Fiesta scheduled to hold on the 13th December, 2025, at Eddiz wine bar GRA, promises to be all football fans carnival in the State , as there will be a lot of fanfares.
The Coordinator of Port Harcourt Arsenal Community (PHAC), Ugochukwu Oputa has said that the forthcoming Football Fans Fiesta was basically to promote peace, unity and love among football fans in irrespective of the cub.
He stated that sports is a catalyst to bring peace, love and Unity in any given society, hence the occasion was initiated.
Oputa said this in an interview with sports journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, saying that arrangements are on top gear for a successful programme.
” This event is for all football fans irrespective of your club. It is basically to promote peace, love and Unity among fans.
“It is like stating the obvious that football is the catalyst of peace and unity in the world. So the Port Harcourt Arsenal Community want to use this avenue to bring people together and foster friendship.
“There is no gate fee, but it is expected to put on jersey of your club as to make the event look unique” Oputa said.
The Coordinator used the forum to advice football fans in the world to love one another, and equally urged fans that will attend the occasion to be of good conduct and behaviour.
Tonye Orabere
Consistent with its project execution routine, Dunamis-Icon Limited, Project Consultants of the Niger Delta Games, has concluded the first phase of physical inspection and evaluation of facilities for the event, 24 hours after the presentation of the hosting right to Edo State was performed.
The project management team was guided round select facilty locations in Benin City by Desmond Amadin Enabulele, Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, and the team leader, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo expressed satisfaction with the sports infrastructure assets of the host.
“Edo is a ready-made choice based on all the factors that are necessary to host this kind of big event. We are expecting over 3000 athletes coaches, alongside journalists and technical officials, with an approximate number of people outside spectators in the range of 5000. So, we need facilities that work for the games itself”, Ikpokpo explained.
He commended the Edo State Government for the good state of facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, and promised that the state will be assisted with the renovation of some of the facilities as may be necessary to ensure good competition experience for the athletes.
“I have been to the iconic Ogbe Stadium and must commend the Edo State Government for maintaining the facilities there. We are also considering taking some events to the University of Benin, so that people in that part of the city can also feel and enjoy the fun. Where need be, we will also see how to assist the state and the University of Benin to add value to some of the sporting facilities”.
Dunamis Icon Limited is the franchise rights owner to the games conceived and designed to provide a platform for unity and integration, and identifying and grooming talented youths from the region into national and international stars.
The NDDC as the flagship interventionist agency for the nine states that make up the region, is the prime sponsor of the games as part of their strategic focus on youth engagement and human capital development.
The inspection tour began at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, after a brief meeting with Enabulele and the Sports Commission team at his office.
Areas inspected include the stadium’s main bowl, the tartan track, the state box, the VIP lounges and other key areas like the ceremonial room, the media studio and other indoor facilities.
Other facility locations assessed are the Wire Road Sports Centre being listed to host basketball and volleyball games, the University of Benin Sports Complex, and the Etete Sports Centre.
In the entourage of Dunamis-Icon were the Project Director, Mr Fred Edoreh; Director of Facilities and Equipment, Dr Emmanuel Ochuko Igbigbisie; the head of Communications, Harry Iwuala; Head of Transport and Logistics, Israel Umueri Afoke. Others are Theresa Ineke, Head of Secretariat, Godwin Enakhena, the Head of Scouting, Mr. Edi Lawani, the Head of Culture Affairs and Entertainment and Elder Siegha Porbeni of the Technical Department.
The Edo Sports Commission Chairman was also supported by Hon. Frank Ilaboya and Mrs Sabina Chikere, Executive Directors, with Mr Baldwin Bazuaye (MON) also in the company.
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