Sam Okwaraji U-16 National Football Championship Kicks Off May 16

The much-anticipated Sam Okwaraji U-16 National Football Championship is set to kick off on May 16, 2026, honouring the memory of the late Super Eagles midfielder who died while playing for Nigeria 37 years ago.

The tournament, approved by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and organised by the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation, with support from First Bank Nigeria PLC, will bring together secondary school teams from across the country in a nationwide competition designed to discover and nurture young football talent at the grassroots level.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja yesterday to unveil the event, Senator Osita Izunaso, representing Imo West (Orlu) constituency, emphasised that the championship is more than a football tournament. It is a platform where “the classroom builds the mind, and the pitch builds character.”

According to Senator Izunaso, the championship goes beyond goals and trophies, celebrating values such as discipline, integrity, and fair play.

“If integrity fails, the tournament has failed. But if integrity starts, we create a legacy,” he stated.

Also speaking, the director general of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, while reflecting on the life and legacy of the late Super Eagles midfielder, Samuel Okwaraji, emphasised the need for young Nigerians to emulate values worthy of national pride.

“We were all in the comfort of our homes when we heard the sad news of his death while serving Nigeria at the international level,” Shaibu said.

“You cannot have someone like Samuel Okwaraji as a reference point and still be searching for role models in Nigerian sports.”

The tournament will feature zonal preliminaries across Nigeria’s geopolitical regions, culminating in a grand finale in Abuja with the top 12 school teams.

Awards will recognise both athletic excellence, best player, top scorer, best goalkeeper and character, with honours for teams and individuals demonstrating integrity on and off the field.

Corporate support is pivotal, with First Bank of Nigeria as the headline sponsor, providing full logistical support, including kits, accommodation, medical services, officiating standards, and certificates for all participants.

On his part, Mr Olayinka Ijabiyi, who represented First Bank, described the sponsorship as “not a marketing effort but an investment in the development and future of Nigerian youth.”

Okwaraji died on August 12, 1989, at just 25 years old, after collapsing during a FIFA World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Angola at the National Stadium in Lagos.

An autopsy later revealed he had an enlarged heart and hypertension. His sudden death shocked the football world and exposed serious shortcomings in on-field medical preparedness.

With the tournament set to begin in May, organisers are hopeful that the championship will not only honour Okwaraji’s enduring legacy but also help unearth the next generation of Nigerian football stars.