21st century of Former Eagles star, Kanu Nwankwo football Camp witness creativity at it’s peak!

The 8th edition of the Greensprings/Kanu football camp aptly invested in the above quote with seriousness.

Kanu Nwankwo/Greensprings football camp

The August occasion was a memorable and fun loving ”Gala Night” where parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders merried, dined and wined to the delight of the media. 

 

The camp which was titled ”The rise of champions” started on Sunday 14th April and was concluded on Friday, 19th April via the Gala night.

The occasion officially took off at 6:30pm with an opening prayer said by Mrs. Chioma, a parent of the school.

The National Anthem and the pledge was observed immediately following the opening prayers. After the Anthem, the Master of Ceremony took to the podium to introduce dignitaries that graced the occasion, starting from the executive director, Mrs. Lai Koiki to others. Afterwards, the executive director, Mrs Lai Koiki, was ushered to the stage for the opening remark. 

In her carefully picked words, she admonished the children to be the best in all their endeavours. She commended the parents, teachers, coaches and support partners like Union Bank, Lagos State Government, Kanu Nwankwo, etc, for ensuring the success of the camp. She eulogised the students for for a successful camp, posing social questions that attracted the applause of the fun filled audience. 

The two foreign coaches were called to speak starting with Josh Bird, one of the Westbrom Albion football clubs in England and the second, Mr. Johannes Petrus Carolina Maria, representing one of the Dutch camps. Both of them praised the students describing them as exceptional. Mr. Emmanuel Essien, the sector lead of education, Union Bank of Nigeria, took the occasion to another level with his speech. He travelled round the sterling qualities of Union Bank. 

He said : “that Union Bank has decided to adopt education as a key focus area that it will be investing in over a long term, to grow scale within the education sector because it believe that in the development of Nigeria, education is the nucleus,” he told Vanguard. He continued, “as an institution that is committed to the long goal of Nigeria, it will do her part and best to see to the success of education in Nigeria. It views investment in education, as planting seed in the future of Nigeria, the reason it organized the first of its kind in 2018, tagged ”Education Fair, Edu 316,” which was a gathering, where there were numerous compensations around developing quality fair, investment in the education sectors in Nigeria . 

It also rounded up ”edu 316” teachers training road ( it’s first as follow up) show which saw Union Bank organizing training in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja to show commitment. 

Many sport scholars ambassador’s took turns to address the participants. 

Speaking, Haruna one of the scholars said he graduated in 2018 with a lot of opportunities to travel abroad. Elvis Onyeze, one of the first scholars of the academy said he gained boldness and public confidence via the exercise. He told the audience that he was among the scholars that won the Northern ham cup and GTB cup as best in Lagos. He also shared a testimony of how he moved to England in 2007 and got 6 scholarships. He supported his testimony with video of his activities while in England. He played for Chelsea under 18 and scored four goals. He thanked his manager and agents for their support. 

Mr. Yusuf Afolabi, one of the Greensprings scholarship winners thanked God, Lagos state government and Greensprings for supporting him through school especially in the area of academic building. Mr. George Coker, chairman technical committee of the Lagos football Association who resigned in for the present chairman, said from year one to the present year, Lagos state Eko football team has always produced scholars via the camp. 

He told Vanguard that the chief object after taking the saddle of leadership was youth football development to cultivate effective management between football and education. This led them to set criteria for playing football as academic excellence. He said the exercise congregates the best of coaches to give the children the best with accountability and transparency as watchword, he said they have thousands of kids that comes to play football with Eko football every weekend where the talent and academic excellence are monitored as criterion for selection. The parents are subsequently involved in the welfare/school, medical fees, packages are taken care of. 

He commended the executive director of Greensprings for the initiative, it was a welcome development for the Lagos state football because it had always wanted to give back to the less privileged in the society. He said ” Lagos state brings 20 students annually for the exercise most of whom emerges as stars. 

Medal and gifts were presented starting from the foreign coaches to the local (Lagos state coaches, Greensprings, school coaches, P.E teachers) ones. The medal presentation was followed by all stars awards. Mrs. Ann Chiegina mounted the podium to explain the all stars awards. She gave a vivid illustration of her trajectory when she played in year 2000 heavily pregnant. The award saw best players in each groups honoured.

The best female/most valuable female player was also honoured. 

Kano Nwankwo

They singled Kanu Nwankwo for finding time out of his busy schedule to be with the kids. Subsequently, vote of thanks was taken and closing prayers said. Vanguard.