By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Veteran football administrator and former Chairman/ Proprietor of the defunct Flying Babes Football Club of Lagos, John Obijiaku, is determined to give young players in the rural communities in his home state the platform to discover their hidden football talents in the upcoming grassroots football tournament billed for Nanka, Anambra state on Saturday June 5, 2021.
Obijiaku who was also Team Manager of defunct C.N. Okoli Babes FC of Lagos said the tournament which will feature male and female aspiring footballers from age 12 to 19 years will hold at O.C.SEnugwu-Nanka, in Nanka, Anambra state, is his own way of ensuring that the youths of Nanka are prevented from taking part in crimes.
He also revealed that he is organising the tourney under the auspices of Nanka United Grassroot Football Academy, which he said its objectives include combining education with sports and to promote sports.
Said he: “we all are aware that sports especially football is a rallying point for peaceful co – existence among nation’s, communities and individuals groups. It is therefore my vision to encourage and engage our youths more especially female youths in something meaningful to their lives rather than staying idle after school and thereby keeping them away from social vices that might bring sorrow to their families”.
Obijuaku popularly called “Chairman” told Prompt News that he wants, “to use the tournament to fish out hidden talents in our community, train them to become stars in future”.
According to him: “the lucky ones we will select, will be used to form a club of male and female teams which will go by the name Nanka United Queens and Nanka United kings, that is my aims or my ideas of doing this, just one year the club will appear at the national level”.
Obijuaku was a member of Nigeria Female Football Proprietors Association (NIFFPA) which had the likes of Otunba Chris Abisuga of Golden Wonders fc; Princess Hannah Bola Jegede of Jegede Babes FC and late Larry Ezeh as well as Elder Bola Kuejunbola of Ufuoma Babes of Warri, who worked hard for the establishments of women’s football clubs that supplied the first set of Super Falcons of Nigeria in 1991.
