Akinwunmi announces scholarship to four Ekiti State Cadet Team players

 

... Hails Olanlege on positive drive with Ekiti FA

Four outstanding players of the Ekiti State Cadet Team are to receive a year scholarship courtesy of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi.

Akinwunmi who was among the VIP guests at the maiden epoch-making Ekiti State Football Association Merit Awards told reporters in his speech, as he also commended the leadership qualities of Ekiti State FA Chairman, Bayo Olanlege who he said has taken football to a new level in the state.

"I want to firstly pour encomiums on Olanlege and his board members, as regards what they have done for the development of football in the state with a short space of time is massive.

"I also want to thank Barrister Churchill Oliseh, President of Nationwide League One (NLO) club, FC Ebedei for the expose he gave in the lecture he delivered on how he has been raking in on his investment in grassroot football. I now know how I can make money when I finish my tenure on the board of the NFF.

"It's a pleasure to see what encourages the youths because football is about grassroot. A lot of people think football in Nigeria is about the Super Eagles or Super Falcons, to be candid the game is about the youths, encouraging, rewarding and recognition. 

"What Ekiti FA has done by organizing the merit awards is terrific as it's about recognizing, rewarding and encouraging hard work.

"Delighted to see that the four players (boys) nominated for the Best U-13 Player of the Year were given scholarships by Ekiti FA. Let me state, that my foundation (Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Foundation) will award them a one-year scholarship that will run for next year.

"I hope by next year when we come to Ado Ekiti to celebrate with Olanlege in the second edition of Ekiti State Football Association Merit Award, we'll have a greater course to honour the Lord Almighty."

Grassroot football investment in Nigeria is profitable - Churchill Oliseh

 

Barrister Churchill Oliseh, President of Nationwide League One (NLO) club, FC Ebedei has advised Nigerians that investment in grassroot football is a profitable venture.

Churchill, the elder brother of former Super Eagles coach and the captain is credited with discovering Nigerian internationals like Obafemi Martins, Paul Onuachu (Genk, Belgium), Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England) among others.

In a lecture, he delivered at the maiden Ekiti State Football Association Merit Awards ceremony at the Adetiloye Banquet Hall in Ado Ekiti, titled The Essence Of Investing In Grassroot Football, Oliseh said, "The gains from investing in football are wide, varying, covert, secret, concealed and rewarding.

"I want to tell everyone present in this hall that since 1994, there is no medal Nigeria has won that you won't see a product of FC Evedei has not been part of it.

"So it's profitable investing in grassroot football and the profits can be immediate or long term based. One who may not necessarily be the owner of the grassroot team can still make from the profits if he or she belongs to the chain that groomed the player.

"The inability to profit from football investment is prima facie evidence of incompetence, ineptitude and flawed policy or model.

"Another common component why many grassroot football clubs don't make gains in their investments is as a result of them not being able to separate their finances from that of the club."

The FC Ebedei boss further advised investors to be ready for the challenges ahead in the football business industry.

"Presidents or owners of these clubs most also prepare for existing present-day terrain and industry drawbacks and challenges as they do for the weather."

Ekiti FA opens voting portal for 2021 Merit Awards

Ekiti State Football Association has opened a vote portal for football lovers of the state to vote for their deserving nominees for its upcoming Merit Awards.

The Ekiti FA Merit Awards ceremony which is billed for October is geared towards celebrating individuals and organizations that were outstanding and consistent in their contributions towards the beautiful game  during the 2020/2021 football season.

Bayo Olanlege, Chairman Ekiti State FA did informed two months ago that the essence of the Merit Awards was to thank individuals and cooperate bodies whose immense contributions ensured success of the association's projects.

The portal https://voters.ekitifootball.org/ designed by Uptech has three sections, Categories, Nominees and Sponsors.

To be eligible to vote, fans must pay a token of a hundred naira (N100) to vote for a nominee in all the categories at a time.

Payment can be easily done on the portal with one's bank ATM Card (Master, Visa and Verve card).

Interestingly, one can see the results of each category and nominees under each category section on the voting page after voting.  

Recall two months ago, Olanlege set-up the Ekiti FA Merit Awards 5-man committee which is chaired by renowned football journalist, Tunde Shamsudeen.

Other members of the committee includes the Acting Secretary of the Ekiti FA, Pelumi Abiara, Ekiti FA Media Officer, Ayodeji Okunuga, Miss Faith Yusuf, member of the EKSFA's Female Football  Development Committee and Rasaq Oboirien, a former The Nation/SportingLife Sports Correspondent