GIFL Gains Ground as OAU’s Premier Interdepartmental Football Tournament

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     Adedoyin Onajobi

 The Great Ife Football League (GIFL) is rapidly cementing its status as the most prestigious interdepartmental football competition at Obafemi Awolowo University, drawing massive student participation, passionate fan support, and growing recognition across campus.

This privately funded tournament, launched in 2023, has evolved into a major platform for student-athletes to showcase their talent and compete at a high level. 
The league was founded and is solely sponsored by Adewumi Olalekan, an alumnus of the university, with the aim of promoting unity, competition, and grassroots football development within the campus community.

The maiden edition featured 24 departments, with the Department of Physical and Health Education emerging as the inaugural champions. By its second edition in 2024, the league expanded to 32 departments, reflecting its growing appeal, while the Department of Dramatic Arts lifted the trophy after an intense campaign.

“GIFL has grown to become the biggest football tournament on campus,” Adewumi said, noting that the competition was designed to give students a structured and competitive sporting platform outside formal university sports programmes.
                GIFL Trophies and Medals 

Beyond GIFL, Adewumi has played a key role in driving student and community football through several initiatives, including the Supremacy Cup, Departmental Fresher’s Cup (DFC), Alarape Premier League—an inter-faculty competition—and the ISCO Sports League, which features off-campus professional clubs. He also organizes the OAU Football Talent Hunt, aimed at identifying and nurturing promising players.

While the tournament’s first edition enjoyed sponsorship support from Dunamis Auto, subsequent editions have been largely self-funded, with departmental registration fees serving as the primary source of revenue. Adewumi identified publicity, funding, and player registration as the league’s major operational challenges.

Although the Students’ Union is yet to be formally involved, the founder expressed optimism about future collaboration, citing the union’s access to facilities and institutional support as crucial to the league’s long-term growth. Plans are already in motion to expand participation to 40 departments in the next edition.

Looking ahead, Adewumi said the ultimate vision of GIFL is talent development beyond the university.
“The dream is to see a GIFL player progress to professional and even international football,” he stated.

With its growing fan base, competitive structure, and expanding scope, the Great Ife Football League continues to thrive, strengthening its reputation as the heartbeat of campus football at Obafemi Awolowo University.



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