Any school Principal whose school hires a player for the Governor’s Cup will be fired.

This blunt message was communicated to over 450 secondary school principals by the commissioner of Basic Education in Delta State, Professor Patrick Muobohgare in an interactive meeting in Government College Ughelli with the Principals of all public schools in Delta State Tuesday.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had appointed Professor Muoboghare chairman of a committee to revive soccer in secondary schools in Delta State and in his brief response during the inauguration the commissioner assured the Governor that “there would be no mercenary players in this competition.”

Professor Muoboghare warned the principals with these words: “During the inauguration, I promised the governor that we will never have mercenary players in this competition.

By so doing, I put my job on the line. I, therefore, today, put your jobs on the line. Any principal who fields a mercenary player in the competition will go. His or her job will go. We must not fail. Reviving sports in secondary schools is something dear to the governor and I charge you all to see this as a great challenge that we must all accomplish. If this succeeds we would be building a great future for our children. We have to make it succeed.

Today, we hear of the Drogbas and Adebayos. Before,we heard about the Kanus and Okoachas. They all started somewhere, from schools. We can revive sports in schools and do it well without cheating. And you must learn to win or lose without cheating. The bad thing about cheating is that it denies athletes the chance to be identified.”

He said that fixtures will soon be made and that schools should start practicing for the competition. Private Schools, will also register for the competition that will be compulsory to secondary schools in Delta State. The commissioner said further:

“Another important point is that Principals and Games Masters will have a lot of explanation to make if their students fight. We must compete with the spirit of sportsmanship and abhor violence. If we have to engage the students in sports to develop them and create opportunities for those who have talent in sports, violence must not be a barrier.”

Professor Muoboghare’s speech received an ovation but that did not stop some principals from raising issues that would enable them to compete well in the Governor’s Cup. The schools will need funds or buses to convey their soccer teams to match venues and back. They will need funds to buy kits like jerseys and boots. There will also be medicals.

The commissioner assured them that the issues will be addressed in due course.

The Governor’s Cup will kick off from next academic season and the exact date will be announced by Professor Muoboghare later.