A former first vice-chairman of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association, Patrick Ngwaogu (aka Odogwu) has sent out an appeal to corporate bodies and individuals to invest in grassroots sports talents from the beginning of their careers.
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Ngwaogu, who is a trained coach, administrator and journalist, told Sports247 in an exclusive chat that it is not proper for sponsors to take up athletes who are already in the limelight after helping themselves to get a breakthrough.
The executive director of ECN Global Football Academy at Gwagwalada, added that he is happy being a promoter of grassroots sports, hence his decision to stay in Nigeria rather than move to Canada with his younger brother, Emmanuel Ngwaogu, who is the academy’s chief executive officer.
The executive director of ECN Global Ventures Limited, publishers of Exclusive News online newspaper, as well as a former sporting director of Abia Warriors FC of Umuahia, stressed that he loves being a mentor of budding stars and would rather stay in Gwagwalada to continue unearthing hidden talents who will bring glory to Nigeria.
‘Odogwu,’ who is the organiser and general coordinator of Unity Pre-season Football Tournament, added that he prefers being ‘a kingmaker’ who takes delight from investing for the future with community-based activities.
“I am no longer the first vice-chairman of FCT FA. I left that post when I moved to Umuahia. I returned to Gwagwalada in 2022 and I’ve been mentoring young talents here since.
“I love mentoring young ones and organising competitions. I cherish what I’m doing here and I’m not even thinking of moving to Canada. That should be for the kids,” Ngwaogu stated.
The well-respected football promoter and technocrat earlier told Sports247 that there is a dire need in Nigeria for more corporate support and government involvement in youth development ventures at the grassroots.
“We have plans and targets, but they cannot be achieved without an enabling environment. That’s why I use this opportunity to again call on governments at all levels to stop playing lip service to grassroots development of sports.
“Corporate bodies and individuals should also support development of football from the onset, not to identify with teams when they win titles. They should invest into grassroots football from the beginning,” Ngwaogu submitted.
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