By Ado Salisu
Government Day Secondary School (GDSS), Dan Turai has emerged champions of the 2026 Samuel Okwaraji Under-16 Football Tournament held in Gusau, Zamfara State, after defeating GDSS Damba by a lone goal in a tightly contested final.
The state final attracted over 40 secondary schools, competing from the preliminary rounds through to the knockout stages.
The championship, organized by the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation in collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), is aimed at developing and promoting school football, as well as reviving grassroots sports across the country.
With this victory, GDSS Dan Turai will represent Zamfara State at the upcoming North-West zonal qualifiers scheduled to hold later in the year.
Speaking at the event, the State Sports Coordinator, Sagir Sani, commended the sponsors, the Samuel Okwaraji Foundation, for their foresight and commitment to developing youth football.
He described school sports as a solid foundation for discovering young talents, calling on stakeholders across the country to work collectively with relevant agencies to achieve set objectives.
He also expressed appreciation to Governor Dauda Lawal and the State Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Abdulmalik Abubakar, for their continued support whenever the need arises.
Kano State is expected to host Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Jigawa during the North-West zonal qualifiers scheduled for August 2026.
