A United Kingdom-trained lawyer, Damilola Ogunbote is still relishing the satisfaction she got from relating with a lot of female students during a recent youth empowerment programme in Surulere, Lagos.
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Sports247 reports that Damilola organised the female football development programme at The Stable Sports Complex, Bode Thomas Road in her capacity as the executive director of USA-based Goals For Girls Project.
It turned out to be a very exciting and highly rewarding two-day programme loaded with various activities, much to the delight of the facilitator, who has also worked as head of women football at Burnley FC of England.
Sports247 recalls that the programme had 300 students from ten different schools turning up in equal halves to enjoy lectures in leadership training, drills in football skills and a mini-competition that had six glittering trophies for the top three teams on each of the two gatherings.
Damilola thanked all the 10 schools for turning up with 30 students each and the presence of their sports teachers for activities of the two days, which were coordinated by Goals For Girls’ country manager in Nigeria, Chinasa Mandy Ukandu, who is also the head coach of CATS Ladies FC of Lagos.
With her assistants at CATS Ladies serving as leadership tutors and some of their players playing roles as technical instructors, ‘Coach Chinasa’ put together flawless sessions from 10am to 4pm on both days, much to the delight of Damilola.
The excited director was filled with bolts of joy, as she disclosed in an exclusive interview with Sports247 that the biggest achievement for her was being able to bring home a very rewarding venture to elevate young females in the country where she was born and still has a lot of connections with.
Damilola added, “I was born in Lagos, but I grew up in London. I’ve lived there for the larger part of my life but, through my parents and connections with the extended family, I travel home every year.
“I really feel connected to my roots and my heritage. That’s why I’m glad and I feel fortunate that I have the privilege to bring a youth programme back home to where I hail from.”
She went on to reveal that the biggest motivation that guided her in ensuring the first Goals For Girls Leadership Summit in Surulere became a reality was knowing that it would have lasting positive effects on all the participants – students, teachers, coaches and guests.
Damilola reasoned further, “I know it will be impactful and beneficial to young girls in the community. That’s something that is really important to me as a Nigerian woman.
“More significantly, as a Nigerian woman who enjoys sports, I see a programme like this as very crucial to the development of these young girls. That’s what connects me to the project, the programme and the participants.”
The amiable advocate of female gender empowerment concluded by pointing out that she has a strong attachment to football because she played it as a child and still loves it passionately, despite not taking it up professionally.
“I played minor football at a young age. Although I did not play up to the professional level, I really enjoyed playing it as part of my leisure, and I’ve kept in contact with the game.
“I’ve developed a real love and connection with the involvement of more women in football. That inspired me to think of developing young girls to play the game.
“It’s great to have a youth development programme you can run to combine your interest in the game with your passion for teaching the next generation of female talents how to become great through football,” Damilola posited.
