The President of Elkanah Onyeali Football Academy, Comrade Obidinma Onyeali last Wednesday felicitated with Imo Youths on the International Youth Day calling on them to shun Drug abuse, Rape, Cultism and other social vices.
Speaking to the press on activities to marking this year’s edition, Comrade Onyeali stated that the celebration provided an opportunity to celebrate the youths and appreciate young people’s actions and initiatives.
According to him ” footballers as well as athletes are no less immune to sex or drug abuse and addiction than anyone else, and their risks may be heightened by the intense pressure to perform.
“As club owners, we should be very concerned about the health and welfare of our players and that is why we need to regularly organise seminars for our players and officials to constantly teach them strategically on the true meaning of sports education and to remind them of the need to live a descent life style and stay committed and disciplined to the ethics of the game in other to excel.
We are hopeful that with what they will learn, they will be better individuals and be celebrated like my father, Late Elkanah Onyeali who was able to combine his academic studies and playing football starting from his days in Holy Ghost College to when he appeared as the first black to play for Tranmere Rovers FC, England as well as creating record while playing for Nigeria as the first Nigerian footballer to score 4 goals in an international match ,the feet that took 32 years to be equalled by Rashidi Yekini in 1991. He also was the first Nigerian International Footballer to be flown from abroad to play soccer for Nigeria .
The aim of the International Youth Day 2020, is to shed light on the need to enable the engagement of youth by making local, national and global institutions more inclusive for the purpose of strengthening their capacity (and relevance) to achieve global action.
