The sole administrator of Badagry Division Football Association (BDFA), Coach Osahon Emokpae, was among special guests who turned up for an exhibition match at Coker Field, near Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, Sports247 reports.
Coach Osahon, who is the founder and technical director of Young Stars FC of Satellite Town, Lagos, was specially given the task of handling a squad of foreign-based former players who lined out against their colleagues that are still at home in Nigeria.
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He got the task based on fond memories of how he groomed many of the day’s participants during their youth years with National Grassroots Dream Team, a selected squad of budding talents from all across Lagos State who trained weekly at White Sand Field, Orile-Iganmu.
The well-respected graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and National Institute for Sports (NIS) used the opportunity of Friday’s exhibition game to remind the former players about the need to always remember where they started from.
Osahon, whose club produced Super Eagles’ striker, Paul Onuachu, while he also handled AFCON 2025 stars, Raphael Onyedika and Frank Onyeka during his days at FC Ebedie of Sagamu, added that all former players must serve as role models to young ones of the present generation.
Also present at Friday’s event at the arena popularly known as ‘Landpark Field’ was the secretary-general of Nigerian Grassroots Football Federation (NGFF), Pastor Oscar Ezinwa Emmanuel, who equally admonished past and present footballers to always remember their mentors once they pass the stage of youths.
‘TM’ Oscar also used the occasion to shower lofty encomiums on sponsor of the match, USA-based former attacker, Ebere Goodluck, for rallying his erstwhile teammates and colleagues together in a remarkable reunion on the historic day.
On his part, the organiser disclosed that, apart from serving particularly as a memorial for his late coach, Idowu Matti, he also dedicated the match in honour of many other men who toiled day and night to bring up hidden talents from the axis of Coker-Orile Iganmu and environs.
He thanked his foreign-based colleagues who played alongside him on the day as ‘Ebere & Friends’ and former teammates who came together to grace the game as Idowu Boys All Stars.
Among the invaders from abroad who played on Friday were Chinedu Obinor, Monday ‘Obrotoyo’ Samuel (Italy), Abubakar Karim (Scotland), Bobosky Smith (South Africa), Christian Ofili (USA), Shakiru Abikoye (France), Paul Banney (USA), Wasiu Afolabi (France) and Joseph Solomon (France).
Also in action for ‘Ebere & Friends’ were Justin Casillas (USA), Tunde Ishola (Sweden), Jimmy Nwaoze (Netherlands), Nicholas Balogun (USA), Michael Andrew (France), Durosimi Adeleke Pablo (France), Success Godwin (France), Gabriel Okechukwu (England) and Sunday Okoi (France).
At the final whistle, the home-based lads carried the day with a befitting 3-1 victory, which coach of the side, Sunday Odetayo said was a befitting honour in memory of Idowu Matti, the man who founded their former club and trained them all as kids.
, Coach Osahon Emokpae, was among special guests who turned up for an exhibition match at Coker Field, near Orile-Iganmu){kind=link}