Maduakor sets amputee football league target, as exhibition match ends in Lagos

By Ifeanyi Eduzor

President of Nigeria Amputee Football Federation, Paul Maduakor says that efforts are being made to introduce an amputee football league to enable the players achieve their full potentials in the game.
He stated this at an exhibition match tagged Ultimate Amputee Football Challenge held at the Paddington mini stadium behind Stadium Hotel, Surulere, Lagos.

According to him, the league when operational will give the players hope and opportunity to have a healthy competition as is done in other climes as well as be in top form ahead of international championships
He was full of praise to the players for displaying good football artistry with a promise to help them develop the game further just as he explained that the players need the encouragement of all well meaning Nigerians to enable them succeed.
” I must confess to you that this is the first time I’m watching amputee football full time and am excited with what I saw today and will do my best to encourage them to excel”, began Maduakor who also doubles as the Managing Director of Zenith Sports International.
” These are people who have chosen to remove disability from their names and use their energies and talents to develop themselves and fend for their families and as such need the support of all to achieve their full potentials in the round robin game.
” The plan of the Federation under my watch is to introduce an amputee football league which will go a long way in developing the game further and enable the players have the required experience and exposure to excel in the sports “, he explained.
Maduakor while commending the sponsor , All Best Cargoes for their support appealed to corporate Nigeria to partner with the Federation in its plan of not only changing the narratives of the game in the country but support her in preparations to mark the World Disables Day in December this year.
Sponsor of the exhibition match and Managing Director of All Best Cargoes, Ogo Izuchukwu in his remarks noted that it gives him joy sponsoring the tournament on.his birthday saying; that what his company has done was to extend their love to the players promising to continue to support them in their subsequent programmes.
He further challenged other corporate organisations to do the needful and support the team instead of putting their money on immoral events that have negative effect on the youths and society at large.
” It gives me joy to support these players on my birthday and from what I discovered many of the physically fit individuals cannot play football the way these people do not minding that they are using clutches to play and my company will continue to identify with them in all their programmes.
” I’m also using this opportunity to call on corporate organisations to give financial support to amputee football instead of sponsoring immoral events that has no positive effect on the society”, he said.
Coordinator of the tournament who is also the players representative on the board of Amputee Football Federation, Ugochukwu Obieze noted that they’re happy with the steps taken by the President of the Federation to move the game forward positing they’ve not had it this good before.
He was optimistic that with adequate support, the country will soon win the Amputee Nations Cup even as he stated that their target is to host the continental championship in no distant time.
” We’re very happy with what our new President. Paul Maduakor is doing to move the game forward. He has already put plans in place for us to have a tournament to celebrate the World Disables Day on December, 3 this year either in Abuja or Lagos during which time players from all the six geopolitical zones in the country will be represented and we promise not to disappoint him.
Obieze further explained that they have the players who can do the country proud at international championships but need the encouragement of all well meaning Nigerians to enable them succeed.
” I can tell you that right now we have quality players who can win laurels for the country. Five of our players are currently plying their trade abroad and three are planning to play professional in Turkey in no distant time which is good for the development of the game.
” Our immediate plan now is to win the Amputee Nations Cup. We were runners- up at the last edition and we don’t want to play second fiddle again because we want to win the trophy and we need support of all Nigerians to achieve it.
” We also need support of corporate Nigeria to host the continental show piece. We were given the hosting right the last time we went to Liberia but poor administration prevented us from having it but I believe with the new board in place, it will be achievable”, he stressed.
At the end of the entertaining game, Phoenix team (All Best Cargoes) defeated Diamond ( Zenith Sports) by a lone goal scored in the early minutes of the first half.
In appreciation of the team’s performance, sponsor of the tournament doled out N100,000 to the winning team and N50,000 each to Zenith team and the female team while President of the Federation donated N50,000 to each of the teams.
Highlight of the competition was the official unveiling of the amputee women national team.