The male and female members of Team Lagos that represented Lagos State have defeated their Akwa Ibom State counterparts in the finals of Season 3 Aketi Bowl, organised for secondary schools in Nigeria at the UJ Esuene Sports Stadium, Calabar, the Cross River capital.
Also known as American Football Flag championship, the tournament was organised by the Nigeria American Football Association (NAFA), in collaboration with Cross River State government to fish out talents who can represent the country at international events.
The competition eventually produced winners at the end of sweat-soaking matches by different categories of athletes from various secondary schools drawn from 9 South-South and South-West states.
At the end of the competition, Lagos teams also won the sum of N1 million as star prize in addition to N20 million scholarships for the two teams compromising 14 players from each side.
Team Akwa Ibom State whose male team competed as defending champions also went home with N700,000 cash prize while the host, Team Cross River taking the third position in the male category and went home with N350,000 with two foreign scholarships for two of its athletes.
However, Team Abuja which is among the 9 states which participated in the competition took the third position in the female category.
A total of 36 teams, totalling 180 student-athletes participated in the football competition.
NAFA National President who is also a son of late Ondo State governor, Engr. Babajide Akeredolu stated that the association was working with 13 states.
He stressed that the football competition got the backing of the late governor which explained the reason it was named after his late father, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu as Aketi Bowl.
Akeredolu averred that the championship has been hosted in Lagos, Akure, Calabar, revealing that the next outing will be held in any part of the North.
He assured that the championship will be sustained with several incentives to the participants to benefit.
Representing the Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu, the state deputy, Dr Peter Odey expressed the willingness of the government to be part of the championship, stressing that they will encourage students from the state to participate in the future championships.
