Gospel Footy Football: Fostering Bonded Communities, Youths Dev’t with Sports
By Akinwale Kasali
No doubt, the round leather game remains a unifying factor that brings about peace, cordiality, love, oneness, unity and peace to every community, State and country at large.
Gospel Footy Football Association has over the years been a unifying factor that has brought love and unity among the Youths who play an integral part in the nation’s demography.
The association is a group of friends in the neighborhood who came together to build a network of friends with the love for playing football together and bonding. From the days of just two, now it has over 100 members since it started.
What started like a tete a tete between one of two persons of like-minds metamorphosed into what is been celebrated and has produced a sort after player in the Nigeria Professional League in person of Victor Mbaoma who carved his niche at Gospel Footy Football Academy To Remo Stars and Enyimba Football Club where became an household name before joining North African Club Side, Moloudia Algier in the Algerian League.
He however moved to Qizilqum Zarafshon in the Uzbekistan League to further proved his mettle as an extraordinaire player.
The Gospel Footy Football Association has become an household name in Oke Odo Local Development Area in Alimosho Local Government Area due to its distinct approach in unifying people of like-minds and promoting Soccer.
Though, some people believe that politics and other forms of sports could be a way of unifying people and promoting peace and cordiality among the youths, but the coordinators of Gospel Footy Football Association think otherwise.
They believe that the platform gives youths the opportunity to showcase their God given talent win which they assist In bringing this to the cynosure of all eyes by the exposing this raw talents to the world and making them future stars, not only for themselves but to the nation at large.
In a chat with Atalese Gbenga with the moniker, Kalukuta, he says that the Committee has been able to discover raw talented for the betterment of the nation through showcasing their God given talents.
Going down memory lane Atalese stated that Gospel Footy started as a 5-Aside field in Olanitan under the Power Line:
He added that it started as yearly competition in 2013 before the land was sold.
He stated that the pioneer of the Team were; himself, Atalese Gbenga, Olubunmi Aydeun better known as Iniesta, Olafisoye Adedayo known as Man Utd, Rasheed Ajenifuja, Kareem Aderemi, Deji John best known as Mangala, Oni Oladapo to mention a few were the architect of Gospel Footy Football Association that had become a force a force to reckon with.
Atalese said that they had to move to a better place at gospel camp so as to spread their tentacles in which the household name came about.
After the movement to another spacious place, they were able to increase the number of players from 5-Aside to an 8-Aside Team courtesy of an availability of a more spacious field which brought about the name.
Atalese added that Coach Doyin played an integral part in the development of the Association, in which it began a yearly competition and other activities.
According to Kalakuta, “We were like a family and we have grown since then till the camp management stopped us from using the field and now we are at Meiran Water Corporation thanks to Olasunkanmi better known as Lass who helped us secure the place after so many failed attempt to come together when gospel sent us packing.
“We started our usual programme there and now with more fire which is the league, we are growing and getting better many players and more to come from the gospel association for the world”, Kalakuta stated.
The Association has continued to wax stronger and as become a template for other aspiring Local Football Association in the vicinity, but its credibility, decency, embracement and acceptability has seen it stand tall among its contemporaries making it become a “beautiful bride” among its peers.
It’s annual December Tournament makes Peoples from all walks of life come to partake in the competition which has become an hollow ritual and has in turn produce skillful, resourceful and passionate footballers who are determined to eke a living from the round League game.
The annual League is another distinctive and applausive Football Competition that has made the Association become a reference point.
It’s orderliness and exquisite organization is equal to none.
With Four matches already played among the Six teams jostling for the coveted trophy, the competition has brought about rivalry, oneness and cordiality which has been the essence of the establishment of the Association.
Without mincing words, the Football Association has been able to carve a niche for aspiring professional Footballers who will hoist the nation’s flag and becoming an ambassador for the betterment and growth of the round leather game.
The sky is however the starting point and not the limits putting into cognizance the level of organization and development the Association has witnessed in the shortest time.
