It was kudos galore for Rev. (Ambassador) Samuel Ikpea, the national chairman of Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) on Thursday when Africano FC was unveiled in Lagos at the Brazilian Consulate. Ikpea who is the proprietor of Africano FC did a public presentation of the club/academy alongside the Brazilian embassy who are his technical partners. Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL) George Aluo who was one of the special guests lauded Ikpea for venturing into the project of nurturing football talents through Africano FC and for his vision of bringing the Brazilian embassy on board.
“Ikpea has taken his passion for football to another level with Africano FC. From supporting our national teams to running an academy is amazing. And the in thing is his decision to get the home of football-Brazil involved in the project. This is a marriage that would rob off positively on Nigerian football,” Aluo stated. Aluo an executive board member of the nation’s soccer governing body, NFF charged other soccer loving Nigerians and corporate bodies to emulate Ikpea insisting that Nigerian football can only grow if corporate bodies and individuals invest in it as Ikpea is doing.
Ex international, Waidi Akanni said Ikpea was doing a wonderful job declaring that he sees Africano producing the next generation of Super Eagles players. Ace broadcaster, Charles Anazodo while giving Ikpea a pat on the back urged Africano players to remain focused as discipline remains the watchword if they must rise to international stardom. Harrison Jalla on his part extolled Ikpea for partnering with the Brazilian embassy pointing out that Nigeria has a lot to learn from Brazil a country where football is a lot more organised with an avalanche of soccer academies.
