Abankwa Supports IGI to Unveil Football Tourney

Ghanaian football development strategist, and programme director of African Football Executive Confab, Edward Kwame Abankwa is helping Insurance giant, Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) in the introduction of an age-specific football competition for young players between the ages of 15 and 19 in Nigeria. Dubbed the IGI U-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament, it is designed to discover budding talents in Nigeria with the aim of helping them realize their full potential, thus providing them with an opportunity to play professional football in the country and abroad.

At a press conference in Lagos November 19, 2011, IGI’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr Rotimi Fashola, explained that the talent hunt was designed in line with a corporate social responsibility project that aims at helping young players nurture their sporting talents and aspirations.

“The ultimate objective is to avail as many young talents as possible, whether in the cities or in the remotest parts, and to offer them an opportunity to exhibit their potential and eventually pursue a career in football”, Fashola explained, adding that “IGI as an ardent corporate sports enthusiast and promoter, and being part of the tournament was yet another way of contributing, and showing commitment to the growth of the game of football and youth development in general on the continent.

Lagos State is being used as a pilot edition, and the event attracted an army of participants from the street soccer zones in the Lagos metropolis and its environs, including Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe. A core selection of renowned Nigerian and international football club scouts, have been assigned to be part of the screening process, after which outstanding players will be selected and kept together to train regularly for possible selection by local and international scouts.

“IGI firmly believes that sports philanthropy is an expression of its CSR. It is a veritable tool to keep our youths profitably engaged, to enable them achieve a sound body and mind. Our efforts will create opportunities for these youths at the grassroots level to reach their peak, don the national colours, and attain international recognition”.

IGI is the “Official Insurer” of the Super Eagles (Nigerian National Men’s Football Team), The Olympic Dream Team, The Flying Eagles, Golden Eaglets, Super Falcons, U20 Female Football Team, U17 Female Football Team and the national league comprising the Premier League, and Divisions One, Two & Three. “African Football Executive Confab 2012 is proud to be part of this laudable initiative in support of football development in Africa, and wishes the IGI project great success”, Abankwa concluded.