The Federal Capital City, Abuja will from Sunday, June 5, 2022 host about 28 teams from across the country at the Goal Project, Parkage B, MKO Abiola National Stadium as Ejike Ugboaja FC is organising a-5-day scouting program.

The program will feature about five hundred players across the country. However, scouts from ten clubs across the Europe including Arsenal, Chelsea among others have already confirmed their participations.

Speaking ahead of the scouting program, the chairman of the organising club, Ejike Ugboaja FC, Christopher Ejike Ugboaja said, the idea behind the five-day scouting program was to give Nigeriian young players the opportunity to be seen by those super clubs in Europe.

He said, talents are abound in Nigeria, but how do they get to be recognise has been the problem, therefore, in his quest to give back to the society he has chosen to organise the scouting program so that they can come together showcase their talents before the scouts and the lucky ones could be spotted and giving a contract immediately.

“As I keep saying, they are good players in Nigeria but, the issue has been who will help expose them to these foreign scouts? And that is the reason I came in, because having played basketball to it’s pinnacle and coupled with the facts that I have helped over two thousands Nigerian basketball players and America footballers schools in the United State of America and clubs too, I thought it wise to replicate same in football “

“We have concluded all arraignment concerning the program. The scouts will be in the country on Saturday and leave for their respective clubs on June 9, after the closing ceremony

“Our prayers are that they should be able to identify and sign as many players as possible, so that at the end we would have empower the young players because that is the reason behind the program.,” Ugboaja said.

As part of their efforts to giving back to the society, the players and management of Ejike Ugboaja Football Club of Abuja on Friday embarked on a community service of cleaning Wuse market. They also donate money/provisions to the less privileges.

The exercise which took place in Wuse market attracted lots of attention as it’s served as the first in it’s kind.

Speaking on why the club embarked on such community service of cleaning the Wuse market and it’s surroundings, the chairman of the club, Ejike Ugboaja said, the exercise became possible in order to prepare the minds of the players on what to expect if they live the shore of this country to ply their trade abroad as professional footballers.

He also said, he introduced it because he felt it was right to start doing so having spent over 12 years playing basketball abroad and engaging in such activities on a regular basis

“I think what I am trying to achieve is that whenever the players are across the globe, they will always remember to return back to serve their community back here in Nigeria.
“The community service we embarked upon today (Friday) was good because most of us sports men and women who have played abroad this is exactly what we do there and so I felt Ejike Ugboaja FC should start doing it here.
“It’s not only representing the country in international competitions that matters but what we did was to also clean the capital city of Nigeria because that gives the upcoming players sense of patriotism and belonging,” he said.