Petrolex, Kanu Heart Foundation Partner to Raise Funds for Open-Heart Surgeries

Nigeria’s leading oil & gas firm, Petrolex, has partnered Kanu Heart Foundation as title sponsor of the foundation’s upcoming legends’ charity football game, tagged the Petrolex Kanu Cup, which will hold in London on September 30, 2018 at The Hive Stadium, home of Barnet FC.

Proceeds from the football match will go to the children at the Kanu Heart Foundation who are in dire need of open-heart surgeries.

The Kanu Heart Foundation is a charity organisation set up by the Nigerian football legend, Nwankwo Kanu on July 21, 2000, to help underprivileged African children and young adults with different heart ailments obtain the cardiac surgical operations.

The Petrolex Kanu Cup, organised by Masters Football, a London-based events and sports promoter, will feature an exhibition match between two teams created from Kanu’s rich football experience: Premier League All Stars vs African All Stars.

While the Premier League stars will be drawn from teams Kanu played for during his glittering career in the UK -Arsenal, WBA and Portsmouth, the African All Stars will include many of the African players who played alongside Kanu or against him.

As main sponsor of the game, the Chairman of Petrolex, Olusegun Adebutu, stated that “Petrolex is very delighted to partner the Kanu Heart Foundation on this life-changing vision, African legend, Nwankwo Kanu has selflessly chosen to champion.

“Our brand is extremely passionate about impacting lives by focusing on the health and welfare of children and this underscores most of our other CSR initiatives. The Kanu Heart Foundation is offering a lifeline to children and young people with heart ailments who cannot afford the cost of delicate open-heart surgery and may die without help. The foundation needs all the support it can get from all well-meaning Nigerians.”

The 42-year-old hero started the foundation when he conquered a heart problem which threatened to end his promising career after his Atlanta 1996 gold medal. The foundation has carried out over 530 open heart surgeries for children since inception.

High-profile legends already confirmed to participate are Thiery Henry, Robert Pires, Teddy Sheringham, Sol Campbell, Darren Anderton, Emile Heskey, William Gallas, Emmanuel Eboue and Michael Essien, to name a few.

The Chairman of Petrolex, Olusegun Adebutu, is also a philanthropist with similar passion.

He runs a foundation for orphans and vulnerable children called the Oladiran Olusegun Adebutu Foundation. The foundation which started less than two years ago currently caters for about 500 children in Petrolex’ host community. His soft spot for underprivileged children spurred the recent partnership with Kanu Heart Foundation