Memoir Cup playoffs bring secondary school football teams to Lagos, Owerri and Calabar as the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation advances its national competition

The Samuel Okwaraji Foundation, through its organising committee chairman, Senator Osita Izunaso, and technical partner Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), led by its President, Olabisi Joseph, has commenced preparations for the Southern Zonal playoffs of the Memoir Cup across Lagos, Owerri and Calabar, Nigeria, on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, as the national secondary schools football championship enters its decisive regional qualification stage.

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The five-day competition, scheduled to run until Saturday, 7 November, will bring together secondary school football teams from Nigeria’s South-West, South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.

The matches will take place at Maracana Stadium in Ajegunle, Lagos, Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri and UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.

The selection of the three cities marks an important step towards determining the southern representatives for the national finals, which are expected to take place in Lagos later this month.

According to Izunaso, the Southern Zonal playoffs represent the second stage of the championship, following state-level competitions conducted across the country earlier in the year.

The three champions emerging from the southern contests will join three qualifiers from the Northern Zonal playoffs, which have already been concluded, to compete for the national title.

The regional structure is intended to provide secondary school footballers with a more organised platform to demonstrate their abilities, while giving promising young players an opportunity to attract attention beyond their respective states.

The Nigeria School Sport Federation, which serves as the competition’s technical partner, has also expressed confidence in its preparations for the southern fixtures.

NSSF President Olabisi Joseph said the organisers were determined to maintain consistent standards across the different stages, particularly in the administration and transparency of the competition.

“We have ensured that all the processes and systems in place for this tournament are very thorough, efficient and transparent, and these standards will not drop or be lowered,” Joseph said.

Joseph added that the southern playoffs would follow the same organisational standards established during the northern competition, with similar arrangements expected for the national finals.

“We are ready for the zonal playoffs in the south, and they will be organised with the same standards used for the Northern region. I can assure you that these will also be maintained for the national finals later this month,” Joseph said.

Beyond the competition for regional honours, the Memoir Cup carries a significant historical and emotional connection to Nigerian football.

The championship is organised in memory of former Super Eagles international Samuel Sochukwuma Okwaraji, whose death during national team duty remains one of the most poignant moments in the country’s sporting history.

Okwaraji collapsed and died on 12 August 1989 while representing Nigeria in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Angola at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

His commitment to national service and contribution to Nigerian football have remained central to the foundation’s efforts to preserve his memory through youth development initiatives.

The Memoir Cup was introduced in 2026 through a partnership involving First Bank and the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation, with the Nigeria Football Federation and Nigeria School Sport Federation also involved in the competition’s organisation.

When the inaugural championship commenced in June, organisers outlined a three-stage structure beginning with state competitions across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Successful teams would progress to zonal playoffs before the national finals determine the overall champion.

Senator Izunaso previously explained that the foundation’s ambition extended beyond organising another school football tournament, emphasising the importance of creating a structured pathway for identifying young players.

The initiative is expected to strengthen grassroots football development by providing school-age players with competitive exposure and opportunities to develop their abilities in a properly organised environment.

With the northern qualifiers already established, attention now turns to Lagos, Owerri and Calabar, where the southern contests will determine the remaining representatives for the national championship.

For the participating schools and young footballers, the playoffs offer more than the prospect of winning a trophy.

They provide an opportunity to represent their regions, showcase emerging talent and contribute to a sporting legacy built around one of Nigeria’s most remembered footballers.

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As the Memoir Cup approaches its national conclusion, the organisers’ challenge will be to translate the promise of nationwide participation and transparent competition into a sustainable platform for discovering and nurturing Nigeria’s next generation of football talent.