Sajjad Yusuf Football Outreach, Councillors Cup Will Produce More Osimhens from Onigbongbon – Oloyede
The Sajjad Yusuf Football Community Outreach and the ongoing Councillors Cup in Onigbongbon LCDA could help identify and develop the next generation of Victor Osimhens, Vice Chairman Shamsideen Oloyede has said.
Oloyede made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Sportsbeat.ng during the Sajjad Yusuf Football Community Outreach held on Sunday at the Onigbongbon Primary School football pitch. Football boots were distributed free of charge to young grassroots players pursuing their ambitions of becoming professional footballers.
The initiative was organised to encourage and support emerging talents at the grassroots. The venue holds particular significance, as it is the same pitch where Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen began his football journey.
According to Oloyede, initiatives such as the Sajjad Yusuf outreach, alongside the council’s ongoing Councillors Cup, are providing young footballers with opportunities to develop their skills and showcase their abilities.
He said sustained investment in grassroots football could help Onigbongbon produce more players capable of following Osimhen’s path from the local community to the highest level of the sport.
“This initiative is all about Sajjad Yusuf’s community football outreach. I think the young man is seeking to establish this programme for youths within his age group, to support football development and encourage younger players,” Oloyede told Sportsbeat.ng.
“I want to encourage him to continue with what he is doing and urge more of his colleagues to join him in promoting football within the community. This will help uncover many talents. There are many more Osimhens within the LCDA.”
Councillors Cup Provides Platform for Talent Discovery
Oloyede also identified the ongoing Councillors Cup as another important platform for promoting grassroots football and discovering promising players within Onigbongbon.
The competition features teams from the LCDA’s six wards, giving young footballers the opportunity to compete and demonstrate their abilities. Coaches and scouts are also present to monitor potential prospects.
The semi-finals were played on Friday, while the grand finale is scheduled for Monday.
“Recently, the local government organised one of the Councillors competitions. We have six wards, with one team representing each ward. We played the semi-final last Friday, and the final is scheduled for Monday,” he said.
The Vice Chairman said the council chairman remains committed to youth development and continues to encourage young people to participate in sports and other productive activities.
“The chairman is very passionate about youth development, football and sports. He consistently encourages young people to pursue sports and other activities that will benefit them.”
Creating Opportunities for the Next Osimhen
Although Oloyede’s portfolio is education, he said the officials responsible for sports development within the council were working to create a stronger environment for grassroots football.
He noted that several coaches were already involved in developing the young players, with the ultimate objective of ensuring that talents from Onigbongbon receive opportunities to progress.
“We have several coaches working with the players. They are doing their best to ensure that we produce players of Osimhen’s calibre from this local government.”
Osimhen’s rise from the grassroots in Onigbongbon to becoming one of Nigeria’s leading football stars remains a powerful source of inspiration for young people in the area.
For Oloyede, the combination of community-led initiatives such as the Sajjad Yusuf Football Community Outreach and structured competitions such as the Councillors Cup could help ensure that Osimhen’s success story is not an isolated one.
The objective is to establish Onigbongbon as a sustainable hub for football talent by providing young players with the support, exposure and opportunities required to transform grassroots ambitions into professional careers.
