Tama Football Club of Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area, Cross River State, has intensified efforts, as part of her community social responsibility, to build a football academy in Ugep, to help drive the positive engagement of young people and steer them away from engagement in social vices.
Chairman of the club, Peter Eteng Gaskin, who made this disclosure at at well attended ceremony to raise funds for the project, said the academy will be a world class coaching and soccer school for vibrant youths in the community.
“It is our dream to offer our children the best opportunities to help them achieve their footballing dreams through scholarships and the provision of recreational facilities. Through value-driven sports programmes, we will work to ensure that their football journey remain an asset in their life journey”, he said.
He also added that the TAMA academy will expose the young people in the community to technical and tactical skills, just like the academy will be affiliated to foreign football clubs through FIFA licensed agents who will in turn ensure that the profiles of the academy players match those in high demand by foreign established teams.
Gaskin again noted that, “in the just concluded CRS Governor’s Cup, Jesam Benedict Uket, the tournament’s highest goal scorer, is from the area, just like Victor Eteng, former U-20 national football team player, former Golden Eaglets goalkeeper, Mole Omini, Regina Ibiang Otu of the Falcons, now playing professional football with St. Etienne in France as well as U-17 defender, Miracle Usani, currently playing her trade in the UK, come from a pool of indigenous footballers in the community, a sign that there are more good footballers in the community who should be encouraged.”
The club made a passionate appeal to Nigeria’s Sports Minister, John Owan Enoch, special guest at the event, “to use his good office and opportunity to build a befitting 15 – 30 thousand capacity stadium with model facilities in Ugep for all embracing sporting events.”
TAMA FC, has a rich football history and once paraded the likes of Mfawa Abam, Nigeria’s current ambassador to Italy and Bassey Ewa, a former Speaker of the Cross River State House of Representatives member as active footballers of the club.