Odi-Olowo Chairman’s Cup A Proven Talent Pipeline – Seyi Jakande
By Saheed Afolabi
The Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Dr. Seyi Jakande, has described the Odi-Olowo Chairman’s Cup (OCC) as a genuine launchpad for football careers, pointing to the growing number of players who have progressed from the tournament to national teams, state representation and professional leagues.
The Season Six of OCC is scheduled to kickoff on Monday, July 27 at the Jide Sanwo-Olu Arena.
Speaking on the significance of the competition as Season Six gets underway, Jakande said the annual event has consistently produced players who advance to higher levels of the game.
“This competition has become a veritable talent pipeline. Players scouted here have gone on to receive call-ups to the male and female national teams, including Esther Sunday of Unification, Ebube Jessica of Heartland, Timileyin Agbonjimi of Ablaze, Toheebat Niniola of AOA, and Jane of Nasarawa Amazons, among many others. Others have represented their states at the National Sports Festival, while six players from past editions participated in the Gothia World Youth Games in Gothenburg, Sweden, and five are currently in Denmark for the Dana Cup,” he said.
He added that the impact of the tournament extends beyond national and international call-ups into the domestic professional structure.
“Beyond the national and international exposure, players have also been scouted into male and female teams in the NLO, NNL, NWFL Championship, and NWFL Premiership, proving that the Chairman’s Cup is a genuine launchpad for football careers.”
The chairman also outlined key infrastructure and programme developments supporting grassroots football under his administration. All matches in the current season of the OCC will be staged at the Jide Sanwo-Olu Arena. In addition, the LCDA has constructed and commissioned a five-a-side facility named the Renewed Hope Arena in Ayantuga.
Jakande further noted that the council has sponsored the Ikeja Divisional Football Association Women’s League, which has reached the final between Wazbak Queens of Ebute-Meta and Future Star Queens of Igando. As a new administration, it also organised the inaugural SJ Independence Day Championship, in which Ghetto Tigers Ladies of Odi-Olowo lost narrowly to Unification Ladies of Agege in the final.
Looking ahead, he announced an expanded sports festival programme for the season.
“In line with our sports festival tradition, we will host 50 teams to a 120-game fiesta between Monday, July 27 and Wednesday, September 9, 2026.”
The OCC continues to serve as a major platform for youth engagement, talent discovery and community development in Lagos, with Season Six expected to further strengthen its reputation as a pathway for aspiring footballers.
