It was excitement all the way on Friday morning at Landpark Field, Coker-Orile, Lagos, as a former footballer based in the United States of America, Ebere Goodluck organised an exhibition match in honour of his late coach.
Sports247 was present live, as the sponsor led a squad tagged ‘Ebere & Friends’ in action against his former teammates in their youth days together at Idowu Boys FC of Orile-Iganmu.
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Ebere disclosed that, apart from serving as a memorial for the club’s founder, Coach Idowu Matti, the day also served as a huge rallying point for friends who are now based abroad with those still at home.
He further stated that the event, which was graced by many grassroots football stakeholders, was additionally in honour of other youth club coaches of the Coker-Orile Iganmu axis who have also passed away.
Among foreign-based former players who graced the match were Solomon Joseph, Michael Andrew, Success Godwin, Wasiu Afolabi, Sunday Okoi, Durosimi Adeleke and former Benin Republic national team striker, Shakiru Abikoye, who are all now based in France.
In the home-based squad that wore customised jerseys of Idowu Boys FC, with their names branded boldly on each of them, were Onochie Osemeke, Harrison Enyashi and Kola Ilsesanmi, led by the team’s current coach, Odetayo Sunday.
The day started with a young pastor giving prayers to bless the organiser, his foreign-based friends, former players still in Nigeria, invited guests and late Coach Idowu Matti, as well as other youth developers from the area who are now late.
The plessant encounter came to a very emotional and symbolic end with Idowu Boys winning the game 3-1, which left everyone present echoing expectations of a revival for the club that Sports247 learnt is currently in need of a training ground.
Ebere & Friends List
GOODLUCK EBERE
AZEEZ OBE
OBROTOYO SAMUEL
ABUBAKAR KARIM
BOBOSKY SMITH
CASILAS JUSTIN
OFILI CHRISTIAN
ABIKOYE SHAKIRU
OYEBANJI
AFOLABI WASIU
SOLOMON JOSEPH
TUNDE ISHOLA
OKOI SUNDAY
JIMMY NWAOZE
BALOGUN NICHOLAS
DUROSINMI ADELEKE PABLO
MICHEAL ANDREW
VANDER SAAR
SUCCESS GODWIN
OSAZE BEST
ORUMA ENOCH
MIAMI OFILI
UDEZE
DAVID GOD’STIME
OBINOR CHINEDU
BANNEY PAUL
GABRIEL OKECHUKWU
GANIU
SIR WEALTH
VICTOR
BABATUNDE MICHAEL
