Promoting Football by identifying young Talents; The Buchi Oparaugo example

DDM NEWS

Buchi Oparaugo

As part of efforts to boost sports development in Imo State and South Eastern part of Nigeria, a notable son of the State and strong supporter of the 3-R Shared Prosperity Leadership of Governor Hope Uzodimma, Chief Buchi Oparaugo has embarked on football scouting for Imo youths.

This involves identifying, (discovering), nurturing and evaluating young football talents with exceptional skills, for potential development and onward transfer to European clubs..

To this end, Chief Buchi Oparaugo ( The Ikeoha of Avu in Owerri-west) has flagged off a 3-day football talent hunt programme, which started on the 8th of May 2025.

According to Chief Buchi Oparaugo, who is also the Proprietor of 13-25 FC Academy, he embarked on the ambitious programme so as to provide a pathway for talented Imo players to transition into European football soccer professionals.

In his words, *”I have noticed a lot of youths have been idle, and we all know that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, hence, the issue of insecurity involving many youths.

But some of these our youths are potential soccer champions and stars tomorrow.

So there is the need to engage them, empower them and help them to discover their talents and give them the needed boost and push.

His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma has provided the enabling environment for sports development in the state, and since the State Government cannot do everything, I have stepped in to provide the needed assistance in the sports sector. Governor Uzodimma, as the father of the State, loves the youths, and he loves sports”.

The 3-day football talents scouting initiative kicked off on the 8th of May 2025 at Avu Primary School in Owerri-west Local Government Area.

To ensure the success of the programme, Chief Buchi Oparaugo flew into the country FIFA Certified Agents, namely ; Mr Christine Hugu (from Romania) and Mr Bank (from Cameroun) to assist in fishing out young talented players by engaging them in football tournaments among several clubs and academy.

At the end of the exercise, chosen young talents would be further developed in their skills and thereafter marketed in European countries, and Chief Buchi Oparaugo is bearing the total cost of the initiative.

Young Players, between the ages of 15 to 20 years have been drawn from 13-25 Football Academy in Imo State and from other areas such as Port Harcourt, Aba, Umuahia, Enugu etc, to engage in the tournament exercise.

Scouting tournaments like the one being sponsored by Chief Buchi Oparaugo has played crucial role in the careers of many Nigerian and indeed African soccer stars, who have gone on to play for major European clubs and academies.

Written by Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha
10/05/2025

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