Junior Secondary School, Baraka, emerged champions after a thrilling victory over JSS Oloje as the Aburo Gomina Junior Secondary School Football Competition, organized in celebration of the birthday of Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, drew to a colourful end yesterday February 5, 2026, at Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin.
The final match lived up to its billing, with both sides showing grit, discipline and youthful exuberance. Baraka JSS took control early, pressing high and dictating the tempo, while Oloje responded with swift counter-attacks that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.
In the end, Baraka’s sharper finishing and compact defending made the difference, sealing a deserved win and crowning them champions of the tournament. They scored the only goal of the game through a well taken free kick.
Baptist Junior Secondary School defeated Government High School, Adeta 3-2 on penalties, to win the third place match, after playing out a goalless draw at regulation time.
The competition, sponsored by Comrade Wahab Abdulmajeed Temidire, popularly known as the Aburo Gomina, featured several Junior Secondary Schools from across Ilorin West Local Government, providing a platform for young talents to express themselves and gain valuable match experience.
Played in a festive atmosphere to mark Governor AbdulRazaq’s birthday, the tournament also served as a celebration of grassroots sports development in Kwara State.
The Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government, Hon. Babatunde Ladan, lauded the organizers competition, describing the tournament as a “timely and impactful platform for nurturing young talents and building future leaders through sports.”
Hon. Ladan commended the initiative for aligning with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s vision of using sports as a tool for youth empowerment and social development.
“This competition is a clear reflection of what sports can do in shaping the character of our children. It promotes discipline, teamwork and confidence. I am particularly happy that this tournament is organized in honour of His Excellency, Governor AbdulRazaq, who has consistently prioritized youth and sports development in Kwara State,” Ladan said.
He assured that Ilorin West Local Government would continue to support grassroots sports programmes that encourage students to combine academics with athletics.
Also speaking, the Organiser, Comrade Temidire praised the Governor’s consistent support for youth and sports development, noting that his administration has continued to invest in school sports, community facilities and talent discovery programmes.
“This competition is more than just football. It is about discipline, teamwork, leadership and giving our young ones a sense of purpose. Celebrating His Excellency’s birthday with an event like this reflects his passion for empowering the next generation”, he said.
Comrade Temidire, a youth and sports advocate, praised the high level of organization and the quality of football displayed by the participating schools.
“What we witnessed here today is not just a football match, but a celebration of unity, talent and hope. The Aburo Gomina Competition has shown that if we invest in our children early, the future of sports in Kwara State is very bright,” Comrade Temidire noted.
He added that such school-based competitions help to discover hidden talents and keep young people productively engaged.
“This is how we build champions, from the classroom to the pitch. I urge more individuals and organizations to emulate this initiative and support school sports across Ilorin and beyond,” he said.
The third place winner got N100, 000 and a trophy, second placed team got N150, 000 and a trophy, while the winner got N250, 000 and a trophy.
Kehinde Saheed of JSS, Oloje emerged as the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Mohammed Ahmed of Baptist JSS ended as the Highest Goal Scorer, while Yunus Roqib of JSS, Baraka was picked as the Best Goalkeeper. JSS, Osìn-Aremu won the Most Disciplined Team award, and Coach of JSS, Oke-Apomu won the Most Disciplined Coach award.
The competition was Organised by Ilorin West LGEA Sports Committee, under the Chairmanship of the Alhaji Usman Mohammed Ubandawaki.
Top politicians, sports administrators, Sports Officers and other stakeholders graced the final ceremony.
