Ten youth teams from selected Local Government Areas in Kwara State and one each from both Ibadan and Abeokuta has been scheduled to participate in the maiden edition of Dickalo U-17 Boys football soccer tournament billed to come up between June 15th to 19th, in Ilorin.
Addressing newsmen today, June 2, 2023 in Ilorin, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kwara State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Dickalo Group of Companies, the sponsor, Architect Olubunmi Komolafe said that the move was to complement grassroots football development.
He also added that his company partnered SWAN in the organization of the competition to ensure credibility, even as he pledged to continue to give the young ones the opportunity to exhibit their talents in football.
The 12 teams will come from Kaiama, Patigi, Barutiein, Edu, Ifelodun, Irepodun, Oke-Ero, Isin, Ilorin East and Ilorin West Local Government Areas, with the remaining two teams coming from Ibadan and Abeokuta.
Architect Komolafe, who signed the deal in the presence of his wife, Mrs. Adeola Komolafe said that the draws for the Dickalo/SWAN U-17 Football competition will take place on the 13th of June, 2023, in Kaiama Local Governement Area, immediately after the conclusion of the Kwara FA elections.
Top Nigeria football coaches like Tunde Sanni (Abia Warriors/Chairman of Nigeria Football Coaches of Association, Kwara State Chapter), Bala Abubakar (Niger Tornadoes) and Festus Allen (Former MFM gaffer) will be on ground to witness the football competition, and also assist in identifying talents.
The screening committee of the football competition will be headed by Alhaji Ahmed Abdullahi (YSFON).
The winners of the competition will smile home with the sum of N100,000 (One hundred thousand naira only), first runners up goes home with N75, 000 (Seventy five thousand naira only), while the second runners up is expected to smiles home with the sum of N50,000 (Fifty thousand naira only), with items from the organisers of the competition.
With the signing of the Memoradum of Understanding (MoU) between Kwara SWAN and Dickalo Group of Companies, Dickalo water is the official Table Water of Kwara SWAN.
Also, Dickalo Football Academy has entered into a partnership with Kwara SWAN to organise an U17 Football competition, scheduled to hold at the Kwara Football Academy (KFA) pitch in Ilorin, Kwara State.
It would be recalled that Kwara SWAN has officially entered into partnership with the Mass Communication Department at the University of Ilorin, Kazolinks Consultant Nigeria Limited, and now, Dickalo Group of Companies.
In coming days, the body is planning to also officially sign MoU with Cyteck Engineering Construction and Technology Limited, El-Lado Group of Companies, Office of the Nigeria Pillar of Sports and Kwara State Pillar of Sports.
Chairman of Kwara SWAN, Ayodeji Ismail said that the body will use the opportunity to harness potentials, adding that SWAN is ready to partner relevant stakeholders in the development of sports.
