Amina Samuel, Kaduna
Nigeria’s ex-international and Enyimba International Football Club chairman, Nwankwo Kanu, has said that the maiden edition of the Nwankwo Kanu U-19 Inter-State Soccer Championship was organized to unearth talented young players.
He made this statement while fielding questions from sports writers at the closing ceremony of the Kanu U-19 Inter-State Soccer Championship, contested between Campos FC and Apex Crane FC on Thursday, July 5, 2024.
Kanu explained that several clubs were present to scout for players, emphasizing the mutual benefits for both young talents and the clubs.
“At Enyimba, we have a partnership with a Norwegian club to develop talent,” he revealed.
He added, “This is the first edition, and we intend to sustain it. I believe the next edition will be even better.
We used to create many good programs for Nigerian youth in the past, but now most young people are more interested in video games. With this championship, I’ve watched several games, and people are impressed by the players’ abilities.”
Kanu commended the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) for its role in sports development and assured Enyimba’s commitment to building a strong relationship with the sporting press. He encouraged other football clubs to partner with SWAN to advance the sport.
“Such partnerships are common in other parts of the world, and we should replicate this here,” he stressed.
In a post-match interview, SWAN President Isaiah Benjamin praised the players’ brilliant performance in the final. He called on other former internationals to emulate Kanu’s initiative in sponsoring such competitions.
Benjamin described the novelty match as successful and reiterated SWAN’s commitment to holding sports administrators accountable.
Campos FC defeated Apex Crane FC 3-0 in the final of the Nwankwo Kanu U-19 Inter-State Soccer Championship. Earlier, Team Legend, composed of ex-Enyimba and international stars, triumphed over Team SWAN 2-0 in a novelty match at Enyimba International FC.
