Gabrielab Ezin, Calabar
Public secondary schools dominated the 2026 Children’s Day Football Challenge and Exhibition organised by Talent-Afrique Reservoir Foundation in Calabar, winning both the male and female categories of the competition.
The male public school team defeated their private school counterparts 2-1 in the final match, while the female public school side clinched victory through penalties after a thrilling encounter.
The winning teams received N100,000 each, while the runners-up went home with N30,000 consolation prizes.
The football challenge, organised for secondary school students, formed part of activities marking this year’s Children’s Day celebration in Cross River State.
The event attracted students from selected public and private schools, grassroots football coaches, sports stakeholders, and academies within Calabar and its environs.
Chairman of the Cross River State Sports Commission, Lawrence Etta, praised the organiser, Dr. Daniel Ngbadu Okwoche, for initiating a programme aimed at discovering young football talents at the grassroots level.
Etta described the initiative as a practical example of how private individuals and organisations could partner the government in youth and sports development.
According to him, grassroots sporting competitions remain one of the most effective ways of engaging young people positively and steering them away from social vices.
He said the Sports Commission was committed to supporting programmes capable of identifying and grooming future champions for the state and the country.
“I saw a lot of talents on display here today. Given the right opportunities and exposure, these children will excel and make Cross River proud,” he stated.
The sports commission chairman urged parents to encourage their children to combine academics with sporting activities, noting that sports had become a major source of livelihood globally.
He also recalled the state’s performance at the Niger Delta Games in Edo State, where Cross River finished sixth after embarking on aggressive grassroots talent discovery initiatives.
Etta further disclosed plans by the commission to organise a Cross River University Sports Festival as part of efforts to sustain youth participation in sports.
Founder and Chairman of Talent Afrique Reservoir Foundation, Daniel Ngbadu Okwoche, said the competition was designed to discover and nurture football talents among children between the ages of 11 and 19 years.
Okwoche, who is a resident doctor at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, explained that the foundation focuses on youth development through sports and talent discovery
He said the Children’s Day football tournament was deliberately organised on May 27 to align with the significance of the annual celebration dedicated to children.
According to him, the initiative also aligns with the global Children’s Day theme by creating opportunities for children from different backgrounds to interact, build confidence, and develop leadership qualities through sports.
