Founder of D’Shack Football Academy, John Zimako Akabusi, says the academy is joining The Creative Championship (TCC) with a clear focus on player development, discipline and gaining valuable experience after being admitted into the TCC Cup.
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Akabusi made this known while speaking with Sports247 at the TCC seventh-season media parley held at the Ivory Health Club, Ikeja, Lagos, on August 27, 2026.
D’Shack Football Academy, based in Ijebu-Ode, was recently welcomed into the TCC family and will participate in the TCC Cup as part of the league’s assessment process for new clubs.
Explaining what attracted the academy to the competition, Akabusi pointed to the credibility of the TCC.
“We looked at the integrity of the league and the cup and we said this is a place to be because it has visibility and it has shown integrity and resilience.”
He explained that gaining entry into the TCC requires clubs to meet several standards, particularly in areas of organisation, structure and media presence.
“Running a football club is high cost intensive. There are a lot of things that you need to put in place before you can be accepted into the TCC family.”
D’Shack enters the competition on the back of its recent Super Ninety Championship success, but Akabusi insists trophies are not the academy’s primary objective.
“It’s not about the winning of the cups; it’s about developing talents that will have future for the international community.”
According to him, the academy sources players from the grassroots and develops them through competition, mentorship and discipline.
D’Shack was also scheduled to play the NFA Champions Cup final in Ijebu-Ode on the same day as the TCC media parley, after securing victory in its semi-final.
Akabusi believes the experience has demonstrated the resilience of his young players and their ability to follow instructions under pressure.
Asked whether winning the Super Ninety Championship would make D’Shack one of the teams to watch in TCC, he offered a humble response:
“We are still the babies. We are coming to learn.”
For Akabusi, discovering talent is only the beginning. The real responsibility, he said, is to groom players with the mentality, discipline and resilience required to succeed at the professional and international levels.
