Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Mini Tournament Kicks-Off On Saturday

The 2015 Edition Of the Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Mini Tournament Kicks off this Saturday the 12th of December 2015 at the Onikan Stadium Lagos. 

Following a very successful first outing in 2014 and also due to increased interest in the tournament the organizers have decided to make it bigger to accommodate a few more teams.

 The Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Mini Tournament which was first staged last year as a one day event at the Campos Mini Stadium on Lagos Island and it is put together by friends and colleagues of Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi  as part of activities to mark the Birthday of the Football Administrator who also happens to be the Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) and 1st Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

 Seyi Akinwunmi has been involved in charity work for over ten years now and the Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Mini Tournament as been put to together to raise funds for the various charity work that the Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Foundation is involved in.

One of the major highlights of Last year’s event was the star match between the star studded Lagos All Star Team led by erstwhile Governor of Lagos State Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola  SAN and The association of professional footballers of Nigeria (APFON) Selected side, The Lagos team All Stars won the match by 4 goals to one.

This year’s Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Mini Tournament will run for three weekends in December with the first set of games kicking off this weekend Saturday the 12th of December 2015 at the Onikan Stadium.

A total of 8 (eight) teams have been drawn into two groups of 4 (four)  teams each, which will see the two best teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals while finalist will emerge thereafter. 

The opening game of the Tournament will see Team E-600 take on Team MTN kick-off is 9am at the Onikan Waterfront, this game will be followed by 36 Lion Investments versus BURUJ immediately after the first game also at the Onikan Stadium.

 The Third game of the day will commence at the 1pm between Team LCM and Team WOZA, followed immediately by the last game of the day Between Team ICOBA and Team TRINITY HOUSE at 3pm also at the Onikan Stadium.

Sunday the 13th of December will see all the teams converge at the Capos Mini Stadium for the second round of games. Team E-600 will once again play the first game of the day as they take ON Team ICOBA this game is scheduled to kick off at 9am, this will be followed by the game between Team BURUJ vs Team LCM, while the 1pm kick off is between Team WOZA and 36 LION INVESTMENT. Team MTN versus Team TRINITY HOUSE is the last game of the day and its scheduled to kick off at 3pm.

Speaking during the draws Chairman Of the LOC Mr Mojeed Adegbindin explained that the Charity mini Tournament was expanded to accommodate more teams hence the need to spread the games across 3 weekends in December.

Adegbindin stated that All the eight teams participating in the Tournament will return to the Onikan Stadium in Lagos Island on Sunday the 20th of December for the last set of group games.

Team BURUJ will tackle Team WOZA in the first game of the tournament at 9am followed by TeamTRINITY HOUSE who will square-off against Team E-600, The third game of the day is between 36 LION INVESTMENT and,Team LCM, the final game of the group stages is between Team ICOBA and Team MTN.

The top team from group A will face off with the second placed team from Group in the first Semi-Final game, while the top team from Group B will do battle with the Second placed team from Group A.

Member of the LOC and President of the Nigeria Referees Association Alhaji Tade Azeez revealed that The Final game of the Tournament will take place on 27th of December 2015 at the Campos mini Stadium Lagos, and it will be preceded by an exhibition game between the Lagos Based Glo NPFL Flag Bearers MFM FC and Ikorodu United FC. 

“This is to show Lagosians what the new NPFL Season has got in store for football loving Lagosians who have been clamouring for top flight football in Lagos for years now”

 Azeez also seized the opportunity to call on Corporate Nigeria and also well meaning individuals to come support the Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Mini Tournament, as proceeds from the tournament will be used to support "Courage Education Foundation" a charitable organisation that is responsible for the the upkeep and education of well over 130 Indigent Nigerian Students, and several activities and projects of the foundation.