‘Let Her Play’ crowns 30 future football icons

The sun rose over Tolu Schools Complex on Saturday, April 11, 2026, but the true brilliance came from the lush green turf of the New Maracana Sports Complex in Ajegunle area of Lagos State.

After 10 weeks of drills, discipline, and discovery, the Let Her Play Project reached a rousing climax as 150 young girls showcased their skills — and 30 of them walked off the pitch as the founding squad of the Ajegunle Angels.

Initiated by the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Sports Council and supported by the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, the project was conceived as a deliberate intervention to open structured football pathways for the girl child in Ajegunle.

From the first whistle in February to the final ceremony this weekend, the Council’s vision was clear: the girl child belongs on the pitch, and she belongs in the future of Nigerian sport.

Parents lined the touchlines, many watching their daughters play organized football for the first time. Gasps, cheers, and ululations told the story before any speech did. For two hours, the New Maracana pulsed with quick feet, fearless tackles, and goals celebrated with the pure joy only childhood can produce.

“This is why we started,” said McAnthony Anaelechukwu, Director General of the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Sports Council. “We wanted to give girls in Ajegunle the same structured pathway boys have always had. Today, you saw the result. The essence of the project was achieved.”

The loudest message came from the girls themselves. Microphones went around after the final whistle, and the responses were emphatic.

“I thought I would be shy, but now I can play in front of everybody,” said 13-year-old Chinaza Okafor, a newly selected Ajegunle Angels midfielder. “I’m ready to continue. I want to play for Nigeria one day.”

Fatima Bello, 11, who captained one of the demonstration sides, added: “At first my brothers said football is not for girls. Now they clap for me. I will keep training. We have coaches who believe in us.”

Blessing Udoh, 13, was even more direct: “They gave us hope and taught us how to be strong. I’m not dropping this. Next year, you will see me again — and I’ll be better.”

The sentiment was unanimous. None of the 150 girls said they were done. They want more training, more matches, and a future in the game.

The project enrolled 150 girls aged 9–15 from across Ajeromi-Ifelodun and environs. For ten weeks, they trained under seasoned female coaches who taught more than passing and positioning. They taught confidence. They taught teamwork. They taught the girls to own space.

Sessions ran three times weekly, combining technical drills with life-skills talks on hygiene, self-esteem, and education. No girl was left behind — the program provided bibs, balls, jerseys, and refreshments to remove every barrier to participation.

Let Her Play was never designed to stop at players. As envisioned by the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, the long-term goal is to build a complete ecosystem around the girl child — one that links sport, health, and education.

Over the next phases, selected participants will be streamed into specialized training to become coaches, referees, and medical staffers. The idea is simple: if she loves football but doesn’t make it as a player, she can still make it in football — as a licensed coach, a certified referee, or a team medic.

“This is about careers, not just kicks,” said a project coordinator. “Chief Yemi Idowu’s directive is clear — we are raising a generation of girls who can work in sport and understand health and education. That is how you change a community.”

The project enjoyed strong support from the Lagos State Football Association, represented every Saturday by Adedotun Coker. His consistent presence provided technical oversight and reinforced the FA’s commitment to grassroots girls’ football development in Lagos.

The climax was not just ceremonial. After rigorous assessment, 30 standout players were selected to form the bedrock of a new team: Ajegunle Angels. The squad will continue training under the Foundation’s umbrella and represent the community in future youth tournaments.

“These 30 girls are pioneers,” said the head coach, herself a former player. “But every one of the 150 is a winner. We’ve planted a seed, and Ajegunle will harvest from it for years.”

All 150 participants will receive their Certificates of Participation at the Nathaniel Idowu Football Pitch, Oregie, during the finals of the Nathaniel Idowu-Ajegunle Under-14 Football League Super 4. The presentation will place the girls’ achievement on one of the biggest grassroots stages in Ajegunle, before thousands of fans.

Special appreciation goes to Chief Yemi Idowu for the full sponsorship of the project through the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation. From the onset, the Foundation left no one in doubt about its intentions. This was not charity. It was an investment — in girls, in grassroots, in Ajegunle’s future.

The Ajeromi-Ifelodun Sports Council confirmed that Let Her Play will return for a second cohort in August this year, with plans to expand to 250 girls. The next phase will also activate the coaching, refereeing, and medical training tracks. The newly minted Ajegunle Angels begin structured training next month, with exhibition matches scheduled against other grassroots girls’ teams in Lagos.

For one Saturday in Tolu, the New Maracana was more than a pitch. It was proof. Proof that when you let her play, she will — and she might coach, officiate, or heal tomorrow’s players too.