The Greater Tomorrow Children Foundation (GTCF) has unfolded plans to power the finals of Channels Kids Cup, holding on Children’s Day, May 27 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
The Channels Kids Cup, an under-age national soccer competition is fast becoming one of the reference points for youth soccer competition in the country as young and exciting talents have come through the football milling factory of Channels Television, the nation’s foremost news television station.
Channels have won the best television station award in the country for an unprecedented ninth time and its foray into youth soccer development, although fraught with challenges is soon gaining wide acceptance and credibility amongst football fans, chief of which are the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Eko Football, who are the partners of the competition.
Moved by the competition’s potentials to touch the lives of youths, the GTCF, founded by 1984 AFCON silver-medalist, Paul Okoku decided to reach out to the organizers to see ways that the foundation, which primary aim is to give succor to under-privileged kids who have talents in sports can support the worthwhile programme.
Speaking to reporters from his base in Atlanta, United States of America, Okoku, a product of the country’s age-group football system said that it was important for the foundation, whose board of directors comprise ex-internationals Nathaniel Ogedegbe and Godwin Odiye, who are committed donors of the foundation to support a worthy project like the Channel Kids Cup and help alleviate youth suffering in the land.
Okoku added that the foundation will be spicing up Wednesday’s final at the Teslim Balogun Stadium with its youth ambassadors, Henry Nwosu, Yisa Sofoluwe and Jide Alabi a popular Nollywood star, who will give pep talks.
He said that kids will be treated to an amazing time as the foundation distributes goody bags and fun meals to the delight of the stars of tomorrow.
“There is no limit to what we can achieve if we support any programme that aims to address the challenges that our youths are facing. We in the GTCF are firm believers that the youths are the ones who can change our future and the only way we can witness that change is to invest in them and that is what we are doing with the Channels Kids Cup, I spoke to Austin Okon-Akpaon and he is happy to have us on board”, said Okoku.
He thanked all those supporting the foundation through their financial donation, noting that “big societies in the developed world are big on charities because that is the way they address the imbalance in their societies”.
Okoku urged Nigerians to sow into the seed of the GTCF, stressing that “nothing is too small to contribute because charity is about giving, not about how much you give. We appreciate whatever support we get from Nigerians because it is the youths that will benefit from this pool of resources donated by all”.
