Nigerian Soccer legend, Nwankwo Kanu has instituted plans to train 400 young Nigerians in Canada.
From August 1, 2016, kids from all over the world, (U-11 and U-18) will converge in Alliston ON, Toronto, Canada, for the first Residential Soccer camp being organized by the Kanu Soccer Academy.
The camp which has been divided into two phases will see over kids from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas go through intensive soccer training, moral and educational lessons.
The children will also be exposed to modern training methods, come in contact with their counterparts from other cultures and interact with soccer greats, particularly Kanu Nwankwo’s contemporaries during the active years of his successful career.
Players like Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp, Didier Drogba, Patrick Viera, and Ronaldo de Lime are some of the former stars to take on the kids. Each kid is to pay $6,000.
Co-ordinator of the camp, Abi Goodman said the first phase of the camp would last from August 1–14, while the second phase holds from August 15–28, 2016.
“It will afford the participating kids the opportunity to see modern football facilities, good training and good exposure,” she said, adding, “It is an avenue to sell Nigeria to the international community because the camp’s success would rub off positively on the image of the country.”
A director of the Kanu Academy, Yusuf Chidama said, “the programme will provide a platform for the kids to exhibit their skills and, perhaps, further their careers in football. It is an opportunity for them to be noticed on an international platform.”
The chief executive of the Kanu Heart Foundation, Pastor Onyebuchi Abia, who is also involved in the programme said honing skills in kids was not new to the Kanu Soccer Academy.
“Four years ago, the Kanu Heart Foundation started a programme with Greensprings Schools and it was a huge success as most of the kids travelled abroad and played against children from other similar academies.
“We are not new to handling kids. The likes of Kelechi Nwakali, who just signed for Arsenal passed through the Kanu Soccer Academy. So far, the responses we have been getting are encouraging,”Abia said. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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I hope this is not an indirect way of practising child labour and child slavery now. Whats the meaning of taking 400 of our children to Canada just to receive few weeks of lesson? How many of them will come back afterall? And is this supposed to be charity from a man who has more than enough or business? I hope there isnt more to this than just football. Just thinking aloud.
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