Mikel Offers Success Tips to Back2Base Talent Hunt Top Athletes

Former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel at the weekend had a heart-to-heart talk with all the outstanding athletes selected from the maiden Back2Base talent hunt programme held at the UNILAG Sports Complex, Lagos. 

The three-day talent hunt programme afforded many children to exhibit their talents across three sports; football, basketball and tennis from where the best of the best was selected and rewarded with handsome cash prizes 

Mikel at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island treated the young lads to a sumptuous dinner where he graciously shared his grass-to-grace story and offered tips that would help the youngsters actualise their dreams of also becoming superstars. 

The former Chelsea star reckoned that he also had a humble background like most of the selected athletes but he never allowed that to stop him in his drive to become a globally acclaimed football star. 

“The first key to success is discipline, you have to be disciplined before you can put enough effort to become the best in whatever you do even outside of sports” the Rio 2016 Olympic medallist noted. 

Mikel who spent more than 10 years with Premier League giants, Chelsea under different coaches said his undying desire to always give his best at all times afforded him the long spell at the London club and advised the upcoming youngsters to also learn from his footsteps. 

Emma Jebutu and Toyin Asogba emerged as the most outstanding boy and girl in the tennis category with Mathew Abamu and Destiny Okhinye finishing as the runners-up. 

In the Basketball event, Ayomide Lasisi, Chika Okafor and Kunle Adesuyi were selected as the top three performers 

Adebayo Mubarak, Monday Pius and Samuel Adefeso were the top three players selected from the football event. 

The female basketball players were also not left behind as they were rewarded with the sum of N500,000 which was a recognition of their interest to be part of the programme and will surely be integrated in the subsequent years. 

The selected athletes alongside their coaches had a fun-filled night with Mikel and graciously thanked him for giving them a springboard to achieve their dreams through their God-given talents.  

CEO and Founder of Avianna & Harvey Entertainments, Ahmed Fadekemi who supervised the Back2Base talent hunt programme expressed delight with the project’s great start and assured that it would only get better in subsequent editions.