A former first vice-chairman of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association, Patrick Ngwaogu (aka Odogwu) has pushed aside a suggestion that he should relocate to Canada, where his younger brother is currently based.
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After dropping his role in the FCT’s FA when he briefly relocated to Umuahia, Abia State, Ngwaogu, who is also the executive director of ECN Global Football Academy at Gwagwalada, said he is happy being a promoter of grassroots sports.
He also disclosed that, although his younger brother, Emmanuel Ngwaogu, who is also the academy’s chief executive officer, is based in Canada, it does not give him an urge to think of relocating there as well.
The executive director of ECN Global Ventures Limited, publishers of Exclusive News online newspaper, as well as a former sporting director of Abia Warriors FC of Umuahia, stressed that he loves being a mentor of budding stars.
So, rather than hop on the plane to Canada, Ngwaogu said he would rather stay put in Gwagwalada and continue the task of unearthing hidden talents that will bring glory home to Nigeria in years to come.
‘Odogwu,’ who is the organiser and general coordinator of Unity Pre-season Football Tournament, added in a chat with Sports247 that he prefers being ‘a kingmaker,’ investing for the future with community-based activities.
“I am no longer the first vice-chairman of FCT FA. I left that post when I moved to Umuahia. I returned to Gwagwalada in 2022 and I’ve been mentoring young talents here since.
“I love mentoring young ones and organising competitions. I cherish what I’m doing here and I’m not even thinking of moving to Canada. That should be for the kids,” Ngwaogu stated.
The well-respected football promoter and technocrat earlier told Sports247 that there is a dire need in Nigeria for more corporate support and government involvement in youth development ventures at the grassroots.
“We have plans and targets, but they cannot be achieved without an enabling environment. That’s why I use this opportunity to again call on governments at all levels to stop playing lip service to grassroots development of sports.
“Corporate bodies and individuals should also support development of football from the onset, not to identify with teams when they win titles. They should invest in grassroots football from the beginning,” Ngwaogu submitted.
