KASA Crowned Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Champions

King Amachree Sports Academy (KASA), Obuama, has been crowned champions of the Samuel Okwaraji Under-16 Football Tournament after edging St. Peter’s Secondary School 1-0 in a keenly contested final in Port Harcourt.

Michael Unity emerged the match-winner, scoring the decisive goal that secured the prestigious youth title for the academy and capped an impressive campaign in one of Rivers State’s leading grassroots football competitions.

KASA booked its place in the final with a convincing 3-1 victory over Perfect Brain Secondary School in the semi-finals, before producing another disciplined performance to lift the trophy.

The annual Samuel Okwaraji Under-16 Football Tournament is held in honour of the late Super Eagles midfielder Samuel Okwaraji, who tragically collapsed and died while representing Nigeria during a FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Angola at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, in August 1989.

The football triumph adds to what has been a remarkable period for the academy. Only weeks earlier, KASA’s basketball team was crowned national champion after defeating Father O’Connell Science College, Minna, to win the 26th Nestlé MILO Secondary Schools Basketball Championship.

Reacting to the latest success, the proprietor of King Amachree Sports Academy, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, congratulated the players and coaching staff for their outstanding achievement, describing the victory as further proof that sustained investment in youth development continues to yield positive results.

He said the latest title would inspire the academy to deepen its commitment to nurturing young talents through quality sports and educational programmes.

In another major development, Dokubo-Asari has approved a five-year strategic partnership between King Amachree Sports Academy and EEXSport Digital Company Limited to further strengthen the institution’s sports development initiatives.

Under the agreement, EEXSport will provide technical management, sports science services, educational support, commercial development, sponsorship acquisition and facilitate international partnerships aimed at elevating the academy to global standards.

A key component of the collaboration is the establishment of an International Athlete Pathways Programme, designed to identify exceptional young talents and provide them with opportunities for international showcases, European training camps, academic scholarships and professional club placements.

The academy said the partnership would also broaden its sports programmes across football, basketball, athletics, swimming, volleyball, handball and tennis, while maintaining a strong emphasis on academic excellence, leadership development and character building.