Soccer legend praises Alex programme

The Alex Football for Hope programme has been commended by one of Africa’s soccer legends Nwankwo Kanu.

Kanu is retired from professional football following an illustrious career with several prominent English and European teams, as well as the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles. He is now an active sports ambassador for charitable reasons and his demeanour proves this.

He was in the country as guest of the Professional Soccer League to present the 2014 Players’ Player of the Year Award and said his deep interest was to engage with initiatives that used the game to uplift others.

As ambassador of the sponsors of the Football for Hope and Grassroots Soccer Programme he said, “ I will not hesitate to visit this programme regularly because of its importance in developing the African child whose welfare is close to my heart.”

The programme started during the 2010 soccer world cup to address social ills among youths through life skills and leadership development. It operates from well-equipped offices with conference facilities, astro-turf mini soccer field and also at schools.

Its facilitators are youths trained as coaches and mentors and use soccer metaphors to raise awareness and coping skills among youths against HIV/Aids, substance abuse, to instil discipline and provide them work-readiness skills.

Kanu praised it for keeping them occupied in positive activities after class and on holidays, for building their resilience against bad influences, and for giving them leadership skills which could turn some of them into future leaders of the country.

Recalling his time as a barefooted player, he said soccer’s power went beyond unearthing and nurturing talent to improve the lives of poor township children.

“It will enhance their determination to be professional and successful, instil discipline, focus, enable them to sacrifice peer pressure, keep them level headed, and enable them to pursue goals and careers which will change their lives for the better,” he said.

Also, he emphasised the importance of family support in making this happen. “Family is always first,” he said, crediting his own for encouraging him to establish the Kanu Heart Foundation in 2000 after recovering from a heart ailment which almost ended his soccer career and life prematurely.

“As charity begins at home, the foundation operates from Nigeria, and has conducted 480 successful heart operations which include children also from Ghana, Sierra Leone and Somalia because of my love and commitment to Africa,” he concluded.