10TH BOLOWOTAN FOOTBALL COMPETITION: AACC FC IKORODU WALLOPS MAKBET FC IBESHE, 6:1 TO LIFT THE TROPHY. | Shakiru Seidu. ...As Ikorodu youths throw weight behind Prince Toyin Gafaar Bolowotan, to contest House of Assembly.

It was a day of reckoning in the history of Ikorodu, as Prince Toyin Gafaar Bolowotan held its 10th Edition of Bolowotan Football Competition, at the playing ground of Igbogbo Police Station, on Tuesday, 1st of May, 2018.

The competition was said to be an annual competition organized by Prince Gafaar Bolowotan, to unite the people of Ikorodu community, so as to mentally improve the youths and the community. MegaXpression Magazine also gathered that the competition has been in existence since 10years ago to bring friends, families and youths together, to ensure peaceful coexistence and preparing the youths for better lifestyle.

The Match which was under supervision of one of the highly respected Referees in Nigeria, Prince Jimoh Ogunmuyiwa, kicked off at exactly 4:00pm between African-American Community Club of Ikorodu, (AACC FC) and Makbet FC of Ibeshe, under a peaceful atmosphere.

It was a great encounter between the two teams in which the teams refused to score until 15minutes when Pius Spere of Makbet FC put the ball at the back of the net to record the first goal of the Match. 2minutes after, Malomo Taofeek of AACC FC put one back to level the score to 1-1. The Match recorded another goals from Ubani Wisdom and Raheem Rasheed of AACC FC to make it 3-1 in the 20th and 28th minutes of the game respectively. All efforts made by the Makbet FC to level the score proves abortive as the first half ended in 3-1 in favour of AACC FC of Ikorodu.

However, the second half was more interesting as the Makbet FC refused to bow to AACC FC. At 52minutes, Micheal Micheal of Makbet FC Ibeshe, with a clumsy challenge on AACC player, picked up his second caution and was shown a red card, which down the Makbet FC to 10 men and faced with a mountain to climb!

Ajako James of AACC FC, who was substituted in the 58minutes, increased the score line through a superlative strike to make it 4-1 in the 60minutes of the game. Nevertheless, Adeyiga Taiwo made it 6-1 after putting the ball at the back of the net twice in the 67minutes and 75minutes of the game respectively. The Match ended 6-1 in favour of AACC FC of Ikorodu.

Immediately after the final whistle, some youths gathered in large number with displayed banners, yearning for Prince Toyin Gafaar Bolowotan, to become the next representative of Ikorodu Constituency 1, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, come 2019.

While speaking with Shakiru Seidu of MegaXpression Magazine, one of the group leaders, Mr Wale Alogba, said Prince Gafaar Bolowotan's renewal strides and people-oriented initiatives, necessitated the support. He therefore made public their unalloyed supports, confidence, towards actualising the dream. "Not only that Bolowotan merited the Assembly position, but equally have the potential to  contribute meaningfully well to the growth and development of Ikorodu Constituency 1", he added. Alhaji Lukman Shonibare, Chairman of Ikorodu FA, also unequivocally declared his total support and guarantee Prince Toyin Gafaar Bolowotan unprecedented victory in 2019.

Medals and Trophy were however presented one after the other. The winner of the competition, AACC FC of Ikorodu, went home with N250,000, while the second position, Makbet FC of Ibeshe, got themselves N125,000. The 3rd position, Oga Boys FC Ikorodu, also went home with N75,000 while the Well-Behaved Team bagged N50,000.

Among the notable personalities at the final match were, Prince Toyin Gafaar Bolowotan, Otunba Adebowale Ogunade, owner of Destiny football Club, Mr Abiodun Obafemi, Olympic debut for Nigeria, Alhaji Lukman Shonibare, Chairman Ikorodu FA, Prince Jimoh Ogunmuyiwa, Mr Babatunde Onasanya, Mr Emphraim Bababo, Mr Segun Apata, Alhaji Samsideen Yusuf, Alhaji Kola Akinsanya, Mr Taiye Oloyede, Prince Jelili Ogunmuyiwa, among others.

SHAKIRU SEIDU.
Publisher, MegaXpression Magazine.