NANPF Honours Keshi with Football Training Centre

Late former captain and coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, is to be honoured by the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) with the establishment of a football and vocational training centre named after him.

Secretary General of NANPF, Austin Popo, said in a statement monday that the ground breaking ceremony of the Stephen Keshi Football and Vocational Training Center (SKFVTC) sited in Obazuwa, Edo State, is part of the activities to mark the first National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of NANPF and investiture of patrons scheduled to hold at the Best Western Hotel and the Palace of the Enogie of Obazuwa, respectively.

The two-day event will feature a national seminar on community football development preceding the plenary session of the NEC meeting on Thursday, September 22 while the ground breaking ceremony and the investiture of Prince Edun Akenzua (MFR) as grand patron, and other patrons of NANPF will hold on Friday, September 23.

The main speaker for the seminar, Mr Gerit Davids from South Africa, is expected to talk on “Club Ownership Structure and Sponsorship Strategies for Community-based Football Clubs (case studies in European and South Africa Football Clubs)” and “Raising Funds via Social Media Activation (the Carling Black Label Case Study in South Africa – Orlando Pirate Vs Kaiser Chiefs).”

Dignitaries expected to grace the event includes President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick who will perform the foundation laying of the Keshi Centre and also declare the NANPF NEC meeting open.

Other dignitaries are Commissioner of Youth and Sports Edo State, Hon Presley Idiagbonya, President of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigamaa, while Prince Edun Akenzua (MFR) is designated as host of the event.

Dignitaries to be decorated as patrons of NANPF include Chairman of the League Management Company, Shehu Dikko, and Secretary General of the NFF, Dr Sanusi Mohammed. Others are Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, Ahmed Fresh, Abubakar Tijani, Roland Abu, Phillip Shaibu and David Aliyu.

The event will be rounded off with a novelty football match between a selected team of NANPF NEC members and Edo State All Stars Football Club.