Lagos FA immortalises Ilerika

By Jacob Ajom

One of the best footballers to come out of Lagos in the early nineteen seventies, late Haruna Ilerika has been remembered and honoured by the Lagos state football Association.

In demonstration of this, the state FA is floating the Haruna Ilerika U-13 5-a-side football tournament beginning today at the Omolade Okoya Thomas multipurpose Indoor Sports Hall.

First Vice chairman of the Lagos State FA Olu Lagunju informed that 32 teams will take part in the tournament which runs from December 1 through 5.

Speaking on the essence of the tournament, Lagunju said, apart from immortalising the fallen hero, the event will help to build the state U-13 team, help in developing a data base for under aged players in Lagos state and to serve as a catchment area for national U-13 team.

“The emphasis is on grassroots development,” Lagunju said, adding that participating teams will get adequate benefits for their efforts.
“As a grassroots oriented tournament, benefits will be based on intrinsic motivation where materials will be given to teams to develop their players,” Lagunju explained.