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…as organiser awards winners with N2m prizes The Ologba of Ogba, Lagos State, Oba Abdul-Lateef Egbeyemi (Madarikan I), has commended the Elephant Cup Grassroots Annual League Competition, which has been held at Ashade Palace, Agege, for the past 28 years. Speaking at the opening match on Sunday, Oba Egbeyemi described the tournament as a “progressive and talent-discovery competition” that has continued to inspire young people and promote community development. “This has been a talent hub for 28 years, where many footballers have been discovered and gone on to play for major clubs abroad and even for the Super Eagles,” the monarch said. “I pray that more talents will continue to emerge from this tournament. As traditional rulers, we will keep supporting this annual football league.” Hip-hop musician Temitope Adekunle, popularly known as Small Doctor, also lauded the initiative, describing it as a unifying force for youths in the community. “You can imagine, I came from London just to witness this annual tournament because I’ve been part of the Elephant Club of Agege for many years,” he said. “This is a true grassroots football platform where youths from Agege and beyond can showcase their talents for better opportunities.” Chairman of the Football Committee, Elephant Club of Agege, Mr. Felix Ajanaku, announced that a total prize of N2 million has been set aside for winners of the 2025/2026 league season. He added that this year’s edition features the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to ensure fair play. “The overall winner will receive N1 million, the runner-up N500,000, while other individual awards such as ‘Man of the Match’ will also be presented throughout the tournament,” Ajanaku said. The Matron of the club, Alhaja Khadijat Adeyemi, encouraged more youths to participate in the competition, describing the Ashade playing ground as “a land of talent discovery” for nearly three decades. “This competition has positively shaped the lives of youths in the Agege community over the years,” she said. “We will continue to add value to their lives through football and other developmental initiatives.” In the opening matches, Mago FC defeated Justice FC 2–1, Pepe FC beat Messitee 2–0, while Bright FC and Portvale FC played a 1–1 draw.
