A former member of the House of Representative Ayo Omidiran has launched a new sports initiative, “Girls Play Sports,” under her Ayomidiran Foundation.
The new sports initiative was unveiled at the NFF technical centre in Abuja on Tuesday with the attendance of the federation’s general secretary Sanusi Mohammed.
The project as said by the foundation aims to develop and discover aspiring female sports stars through a tournament format.
Supported by the Nigeria Football Federation, the tournament will feature grassroots teams from across Nigeria, with the goal of creating a lasting impact on young girls’ lives.
The organisers also stated that registration is free and open to non-league clubs via the Ayomidiran Foundation website from 24 July 23 August.
The inaugural championship will run from 30 August to 30 September, 2024, with eight teams competing in the Northern and Southern playoff finals.
Omidiran and football development
The recent initiative isn’t the first of its kind setup for women sports development organised by the former legislator.
Omidiran’s passion for football and sports development dates back to the late 1990s, when she was one of the first private club owners in the Nigeria Women’s league. Her Osun-based club nurtured talents like former Super Falcons’ skipper Onome Ebi.
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Having held different positions in the football community both in Nigeria and across the world, Honourable Omidiran’s new initiative is a feather to her cap.
Equality and confidence
Just like the reason for creating her defunct Omidiran football club in Osun, Honourable Ayo Omidiran said the initiative is to develop equality and confidence in women sports.
“This initiative is more than just a tournament; it’s a movement aimed at fostering equality, building confidence, and promoting a healthy lifestyle among young girls through football.”
Improvement of standards
The NFF general secretary in his speech appreciated Mrs. Omidiran for the initiative and promised that the federation’s technical committee will work closely with the foundation in identifying talents for future competitions.
He said: “This is the right step in the right direction. This program will greatly impact the grassroots and help to elevate the standard of women’s football in Nigeria. I will ensure that the Director of the Technical Department and Competitions identifies with this laudable program.”
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