Date: 2010-11-21

In recognition of the Kwara State Governor Dr Bukola Saraki’s efforts and accomplishment in the game of football in Nigeria, two prominent International Football Clubs, Chelsea and Barcelona have signified their willingness to partner Kwara Football Academy (KFA), with a view to tapping young talents to enhance the development of sports in the country.   
 
In view of this development, the Kwara Football Academy (KFA) has been adopted as a model for the three International Academies that have indicated interest to work with Nigeria to enhance sports development.   
 
Already, the Federal Ministry of Sports, through a proposal sent to Europe adopting KFA as a model, would commence the process of replicating the academy in South South region of the country and any other part of the country.   
 
Welcoming a delegation of the Football experts led by the representatives of Barcelona and Chelsea Football Clubs to his office, the State Governor, Dr Bukola Saraki commended them for their keen interest in the State and the possibility of looking at what could be done to achieve sports development in Nigeria.   
 
He described the project as of great interest to the State and the country in view of lack of a proper academy that would address the problems associated with sports development especially game of soccer over the years.
  
His words: "This is a project that is of great interest to me and close to my heart because I believe that the future of youth development starts with this kind of institution that we have put in place".   
 
"We realized after so many years that there was this lack of a proper academy that would address not only the skills but also education and discipline environment to tap young potentials in football, which led to the establishment of the Football Academy".   
 
Dr Saraki expressed great delight that his administration has put in place an institution that is capable of arresting the situation and catch the talents young.   
 
"We have so many talented young people whom we can develop in the area of sporting activities who have remained untapped, the governor lamented and assured the delegation of his full support to ensure that the collaboration was realized with minimum bureaucratic bottlenecks.   
 
Dr Saraki, who spoke of the plan of the State Government to make KFA independent of government, said it would be self sustaining in the long run if it was made purely a private organization.   
 
He, however, described the visit as timely as the academy needs some level of private investment to really make it truly independent of government, noting that the process would drive the academy forward.   
 
Governor Saraki also thanked the delegation for the interest shown to partner KFA and assured government’s commitment to the project, reiterating that Nigeria deserves to be more better in sports development.   
 
Earlier, the Minister of Sports, Alhaji Issa Bio Ibrahim, who was represented by Dr Kwaku Tandoh disclosed that his Ministry had sent a proposal to Europe confirming the choice of KFA as a model for the country’s blueprint on sports development.   
 
The Minister, who also hinted that a committee had already been put in place to set in motion programmes of action for the partnership, assured that the academy has the wherewithal to meet up with the target owing to the provision of standard infrastructural facilities at the academy.   
 
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Sports, Dr Abubakar Kanike told the governor that the delegation was in Nigeria to partner KFA, believing that it was the future of football in the country and the entire world.   
 
Representatives of Barcelona and Chelsea Football Clubs, Miguel Trape Viladomat and Joan Patsy described Nigeria as a great potential football nation that should be assisted to develop her football career.   
 
They also expressed satisfaction and great delight with the set up of KFA especially the level of infrastructural development provided at the academy as well as facilities found on ground during their inspection visit to the Academy.   
 
According to the sports experts, a Barcelona School had been set up in Argentina and expressed hope to collaborate with KFA to raise the level of sports development in the State.   
 
Under the partnership, which is expected to be kick started latest by March next year, technical expertise are expected to be provided by Barcelona and Chelsea Football Clubs.   
 
Mas’ud Adebimpe 
Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor
21/11/2010