Former Nigerian international Jide Oguntuase has described the Bet9ja Foundation Ex-International football project as a major initiative capable of promoting grassroots football and reconnecting young players with Nigerian football legends.
Speaking with Sports247Naija during the Ex-International Press Conference and Draw held at the NIS Hall, National Stadium Surulere, Oguntuase praised the organisers for creating a platform aimed at giving back to society through football development.
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“It’s a good project, giving back to society. It is a channel to help grassroots players to stay motivated and also expose them to scouts,” he said.
The former international also noted that many young footballers are only familiar with globally recognised Nigerian football icons such as Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, and Joseph Yobo, while several other ex-players who contributed to Nigerian football remain less known to the younger generation.
“Several players don’t really know us because they are more conversant with Okocha, Kanu, and Yobo. This project gives them the opportunity to know their living legends,” Oguntuase explained.
He further described Lagos State as the ideal location for the initiative, emphasizing the state’s historical importance in Nigerian football and the large number of football legends associated with the state.
“Lagos, as the Centre of Excellence, has the advantage of having more legends than any other state, and it is a great opportunity to launch this kind of project,” he added.
Speaking on the home-and-away competition format introduced for the tournament, Oguntuase described it as a positive step towards bringing ex-internationals closer to local communities and grassroots football fans.
“It’s a great idea and another channel to get closer to the grassroots,” he stated.
The former footballer also revealed his excitement ahead of the competition, confirming that he would be leading Bariga FC and hopes to strengthen the squad with younger talents.
“My team is Bariga FC, and I am looking forward to adding some fresh legs to the squad ahead of the competition,” he concluded.
