Former Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, has given more details about his Back2Base talent hunt programme billed to commence on Thursday in Lagos.
Mikel, while speaking with reporters in Lagos assured that all is now set for the maiden edition of the talent hunt programme which he described as a project very close to his heart.
The former Chelsea star said he and his Avianna & Harvey Entertainments team have been working round the clock to ensure the three-day talent hunt programme that will hold at the UNILAG Sports Complex meets all the set objectives.
He said: “It is an opportunity for us to give back to the community, first of all, we have to realise that there is so much talent in this country waiting to be discovered. So with the Back2Base project, we are hoping to help showcase this talent.
“The first edition is starting in Lagos but we hope we can take it around the country subsequently. It is going to be an exciting time for the children not just in football but also in basketball and tennis.
Mikel noted that as a Federal Government-designated Youth Ambassador, he sees it as a duty to come up with innovations like this to help the young ones with opportunities that would bring smiles not just on their faces but also to their parents
“This means a lot to me because I remember growing up as a child in Jos. I was only lucky to be discovered.”
He added: “Our target is not just to ship the talent we discover abroad but to even see how they can be of good use even from the domestic scene”
As explained by CEO and Founder of Avianna & Harvey Entertainments, Ahmed Fadekemi both the basketball and football teams will be solely for the boys while the tennis will be for both boys and girls.
She said “The Back2Base project is still a work in progress that is opened to changes as we deem fit, but for this edition, we only have boys of ages 17-20 taking part in the football and basketball events while the tennis is for both boys and girls”
Ms Fadekemi said while the talent hunt programme itself will be for three days, the fourth day is reserved for an exclusive dinner with Mikel alongside the athletes discovered during the exercise.
She added that as much as N6 million stands to be won by outstanding athletes across the three sports.
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