The project director of Naija 5 Fest Initiative, Mr Patrick Osek says the upcoming competition will enhance the search for unity and promote lasting peace in Nigeria.
Osek stated as much in an exclusive interview with Sports247, during which he highlighted many benefits of the project, which he said is officially tagged the National Five-A-Side Football Tournament.
He emphasized that the innovative competition would have positive effects on many Nigerian youths, while also extending into various values that would further project the country’s global image in a better, progressive light.
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The youthful organiser added, “This National 5-A-Side Football Tournament will be staged to bring more peace and development to the grassroots.
“We also aim to create more job opportunities, enhance youth employment and promote gender equality. We are also trying as much as possible to promote the love for 5-a-side football among young talents.
“We want to see how we can connect with young talents and take them abroad for better opportunities as well as boost improvements in their lives, like that of (Victor) Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala.”
The project director continued by revealing that the forthcoming competition would also lead to the emergence of well-nurtured and specially selected 5-a-side players who will form the bedrock of Nigeria’s national team for the FIFA Futsal World Cup.
The soft-spoken organiser then urged Nigerians from all walks of life to join the unfolding initiative, which he said already has backing from the National Sports Commission (NSC) and President Bola Tinubu’s senior special assistant for grassroots sports development, Prince Adeyinka Anthony Adeboye.
“We want young players to participate in the Futsal game at the highest level. So, we need all types of support and various forms of partnership we can get.
“We are already in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the SSA to the president on grassroots sports development as well as the National Sports Commission and our official kit partners, Adidas.
“With these collaborations, we believe we are going to have a formidable team that can push this initiative across to a larger audience.
“We are employing everyone to join us in this mission, and we call on all stakeholders to come on board to partner with us as well,” Osek submitted.
