FUBF donates soccer balls to 18 schools in Osun State

 

Family United By Football (FUBF) is a Sports Group on social media (WhatsApp) platform, and one poised for radical change in our sports, especially FOOTBALL and management in Osun State has donated soccer balls to 18 schools in Osun State.

Following the celebration of its 2024 FUBF Day, the vibrant sports advocacy group took a significant step to inspire other well-meaning individuals to support FUBF's longstanding commitment to grassroots football development.

The donation event held at the Osogbo Township Stadium was attended by several key stakeholders in Osun Sports, which includes the Senior Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Football Matters, Kehinde Johnson, General Manager Osun Sports Council, Rotimi Dunmoye, Director of Coaching and Training at the Osun Sports Council, Ademola Daini, Chairman Osun Players Union and Assistant Coach Osun United, Olapade Waheed, and other FUBF members. 

During the presentation of the soccer balls to randomly selected schools, FUBF founder Tunde Shamsudeen, a renowned sports journalist, football administrator, and Chairman FUBF Organizing Committee, Alhaji Olayiwola Olafiranye stated:

"We believe football has the power to unite everyone, awaken the self-worth of countless football talents in our schools, empower big dreams, and provide aspiring athletes with a reason to pursue a career in the beautiful game. 

"This initiative is part of FUBF's Community Social Responsibility (CSR) aimed at developing the physical and mental well-being of our youth while also serving as a platform for them to showcase their football skills. 

"Many students cannot afford quality soccer balls; at FUBF, we aim to change that narrative by providing these resources for our secondary school talents to play or train with during their long breaks and after school.

"We distributed a total of 51 soccer balls to 18 secondary schools in Osun State."

Kehinde Johnson praised FUBF’s initiative, noting that while the state government had planned a similar program, FUBF was the first to execute such a donation. He added that this action aligns perfectly with the state government’s plans to hold school competitions like the Principal’s Cup and Headmaster’s Cup next year.

Sunday Adeloye from Methodist High School, Ilesha, speaking on behalf of the Games Masters, expressed his gratitude: "We are very surprised with this kind of programme, because this is the first of its kind,” he said. 

“We’re planning on holding a football competition, and we’ve been looking for money to buy balls, but now the group has given us balls freely.” 

He assured FUBF that the footballs would be put to good use and appealed to the Osun State Sports Council to support outstanding student-athletes. 

The recipient schools are as follows: Fakunle Comprehensive High School (Osogbo), Olufi High School (Gbongan), Methodist High School (Ilesa), Ilesa Grammar School (Ilesa), Ibokun Grammar School (Ibokun), ADC Grammar School (Apomu), and St. Charles Grammar School (Osogbo). 

Additional schools include ADS Grammar School (Ifon), B.S. Grammar School (Ola-Ejigbo), Akinorun Grammar School (Ikirun), Inisa Grammar School (Inisa), Olofa Grammar School (Ofatedo), AUD Grammar School (Iwo), Anglican High School (Edunabon), St. Paul Grammar School (Ilobu), Muslim High School (Modakeke), Ido Osun High School, and Modupeolu Model School, Owode-Ede.

FUBF felicitates with Oliseh, FC Ebedei on Onuachu's FIFA award nomination

 

Barrister Churchill Oliseh and his club, FC Ebedei one of Nigeria's premier professionally-run football academies have received commendations from Family United By Football (FUBF) following the nomination of Super Eagles forward Ebere Paul Onuachu MON for the FIFA Puskás Award, which honors the year's best goal.

Last week, FIFA released a video showcasing the goals of all the nominees for the 2024 Puskás Award, and among them was the talented player from FC Ebedei.

Onuachu's remarkable acrobatic backheel finish during a match against Konyaspor last season, which contributed to Trabzonspor's 2-1 victory in the Turkish Super Lig, has made it to the list of 11 stunning goals competing for the prestigious prize.

FUBF, a vibrant sports advocacy group on WhatsApp, expressed their accolades while highlighting Barrister Oliseh and FC Ebedei's contributions to grassroots football development in Nigeria and beyond.

FC Ebedei is notable not only for being the only football academy and team in Nigeria to have three of its graduates—Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika—selected for the Super Eagles' silver-winning squad in the recent AFCON held in Ivory Coast, but also for being the first club in sub-Saharan Africa to have a player nominated for this FIFA accolade named after the legendary Hungarian striker Ferenc Puskás, celebrated for his remarkable individual goals.

As one of Africa's most respected football teams, FC Ebedei consistently produces top-quality players and stands out as one of Nigeria's best-managed football academies.

Through FC Ebedei, Barrister Churchill Oliseh has been instrumental in the careers of five Members of the Order of the Niger (MON): Sunday Oliseh, Dosu Joseph, Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika.

Barrister Oliseh’s success stories with Nigerian players are extensive, including his pivotal roles in the careers of Super Eagles legends Dosu Joseph and Sunday Oliseh. He provided the career pathway for Sunday Oliseh when he signed him to his first football team, JAMB FC, and helped Dosu transition to Europe from Julius Berger.

Before the 1996 Atalanta Olympics, Barrister Oliseh arranged for Dosu to join the Dream Team by purchasing a flight ticket from Italy, a cost he covered, which remains unpaid to this day.

Benedict Akwuegbu: Ex Nigerian football star talks up Super Eagles chances to win 2023 AFCON title

Former Nigeria striker Benedict Akwuegbu has hinted that, with the recent competitions and emerging talents in the senior national team, Super Eagles' trophy draught will soon be over.

Akwuegbu, who represented Nigeria at U-17, U-20, U-23 and Super Eagles gave the assertion on Sunday whip featuring as guest in a top football WhatsApp platform, Family United By Football FUBF.

The former striker noted that with exceptional players and right tactics, Nigeria is favourite looking forward to AFCON 2023.

"We have great players like Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Osimhen and the rest. Nigeria can get back to winning ways, with fantastic strikers and brilliant midfielders.

"We can do well and win the Nations Cup again, if the tactics is right," concluded Ben who had 30 caps for Super Eagles. 

Recall that Stephen Keshi tutored side delivered the last trophy celebrated by the senior national team in 2013 and agonizingly missed out consecutively in 2015 and 2017.

At the 2019 edition in Egypt, Nigerians were hopeful of better outings but Algeria broke the hearts of the three times champions with a late free kick by Riyad Mahrez during the semifinal face-off.

It's more of a disappointing finals last time out as Austin Eguavoen led Super Eagles could not go past round of 16 even with promising squad. 

Akwuegbu whose sojourn in the senior national side spanned across five years said the Nigeria can do well once again and bring the silverware back to Nigeria if we get the tactics right this time around.

Sunshine Queens are ripe for Women Premier League's return - Otunba Ologunloluwa assures

 

Plans are in top gear to see Sunshine Queens make a swift return to the Nigeria Women Football League, NWFL Premiership at the forthcoming NWFL Championship playoffs. 

The second tier league of Nigerian Women's league will coming up in July with yet to be announced venue where clubs will be jostle for tickets to gain promotion to the elite women league in Nigeria. 

Ondo State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Otunba Dele Ologunloluwa disclosed the plans for the Owena Queens on Wednesday in an exclusive interview monitored on popular WhatsApp platform called Family United by Football, FUBF. 

He noted that the government was not happy with the club's relegation the previous season but has provided needed incentives and logistics to make a swift return back to elite division. 

"Sunshine Queens are very ripe to play in the Championship, we are preparing them to make sure they triumph and get the ticket back to the Premier League where they belong. Its unfortunate they dropped to lower division last season but we won't allow that happen again," he said.

On the plan to discover more talents in other sports, the vibrant Sports Commissioner disclosed that the Ondo State Sports Festival will be coming anytime soon with the bill to have Ondo State Sports Trust Fund established almost sail through at the Legislative house. 

"One of the proposals I made to the State cabinet is to our own State Sports Festival and it was approved and will be coming up any moment from now.

"I believe doing that will help us to fish out more talents that are abound in the state especially in the grassroots.

"We are also harnessing talents from schools through their inter house sports, we sent our coaches there to identify them, monitor them and later bring them together for proper training," he said. 

Otunba Dele Ologunloluwa however reassured that the State would raise a strong Team Ondo that will be among the top five States in the next National Sports Festival just as he commended the sports stakeholders in the state for their supports on the successes achieved so far.

Osun Sports Commissioner, Oliseh to grace FUBF Day

 

Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Osun State Honourable Yemi Lawal is among the top personalities that will be guests at the third edition of Family United By Football (FUBF Day) in Osogbo on Sunday, as Barrister Churchill Oliseh, President of Nationwide League One (NLO) club, FC Ebedei will deliver a lecture.

FUBF is a vibrant sports group on social media platform WhatsApp and has the key stakeholders of sports in Osun State and  Nigeria as members.  

The group's admin, Tunde Shamsudeen informed:  "This year's FUBF Day will be one not to forget in a hurry as a few very important personalities(VIPs) who have made their mark in sports will grace the event and also share their success stories.

"One of such persons is Honourable Yemi Lawal. The 'Working Progress' is a square peg in a square hole. In less than two years he has been able to rejuvenate sports in the state. The successes recorded at the Osun State Sports Festival is still fresh in our memories.

"Another is our guest speakers Barrister Churchill Oliseh. A result-oriented individual who has written his name on a platter of gold when it comes to football at the grassroot.

"It's on record that since 1995, there is no medal Nigeria won in football that you won't see a product of FC Ebedei. Churchill Oliseh will deliver a lecture titled: 'Football As A Possible Investments, Principles And Challenges'."

"Also the Special Adviser to Governor Oyetola on Youths and Sports, Aremo Adegboyega Adelabu, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Osun State on Sports Development, Vincent Akinbami are guest of the occasion.

"Not forgetting the Osun Sports Council General Manager, Rotimi Dunmoye, President Hammola Int'l FC, Muideen Odeyemi and President HMK, Yemi Adesiyan they too will grace the event." 

Recall 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 via his platform FC Ebedei.