As part of effort to engage youths and enliven spirits of good footballing across the country, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has concluded plans to unveil U13 national football tournament which will be played across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, while Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will host the finals.
Consequently, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is considering partnership with a host of football academies across the country, including Ex-Green Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami’s Football Academy in Ogun state, with a view to combining footballing and academics in order to nurture the youth towards the Federal Government agenda on youths development.
Speaking at a maiden South-West States Football Summit organised by the South-West States Football Forum, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, at the weekend, Amaju Pinnick, President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said that a Youth Committee had been inaugurated to pilot the affairs of U13 national football finals, holding in all the zones.
Pinnick, who disclosed that Ex-Green Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami’s Football Academy in Ogun state had been penciled down for the programme, noted that the Federation had secured some levels of sponsorship from corporate organizations for the actualization of the proposed U13 football tournament and the move was to change the face of footballing.
He said, “We are looking at partnering Segun Odegbami’s Football Academy and others in this task, and we want to combine footballing with academics. We have a Youth Committee and we have been putting together a lot of programmes geared towards enhancing youth development.
“Because, we also feel that without having a programme that is so comprehensive, we can’t have a future in football. So, we are coming out with something very soon. We are starting with U13 from the various geo-political zones that will culminate into a national final.
“We have just been able to secure some sponsorship, but has not been documented. We have to do that. We know that the future of football lies in youth development and I can assure you that, it is one of our emphases.”
Earlier, Seyi Akinwunmi, 1st Vice-President of NFF and Co-ordinator of South-West States Football Forum, said that the summit was organised to develop the youth and footballing right from the grassroots level, adding that the forum was created “for development of young talents and to put South-West zone in front burner of football destinations in Nigeria.”
RAZAQ AYINLA
