Mikel Obi’s Back2Base Talent Hunt Programme Opens Thursday

All is now set for the maiden edition of former Super Eagles Captain John Mikel Obi’s Back2Base talent hunt programme to commence on Thursday in Lagos.

Speaking at a press parley held in Lagos to herald the three-day talent hunt programme, Mikel revealed that a lot has been put into the programme.

The ex-Chelsea FC star said he and his Avianna & Harvey Entertainments team have been working round the clock to ensure the Back2Base talent hunt programme meets all the set objectives.

He said: “It is an opportunity for us to give back to the community. First of all, we have to realise that there is so much talent in this country waiting to be discovered. So with the Back2Base project, we are hoping to help showcase this talent.

“The first edition is starting in Lagos but we hope we can take it around the country subsequently. It is going to be an exciting time for the Children not just in football but also in Basketball and Tennis.

Mikel noted that as a Youth Ambassador, he sees it as a duty to come up with innovations like this to help the young ones with opportunities that would bring smiles not just on their faces but also to their parents.

“This means a lot to me because I remember growing up as a child in Jos, I was only lucky to be discovered”

He added: “Our target is not just to ship the talent we discover abroad but to even see how they can be of good use even from the domestic scene”

On her part, Fadekemi Ahmed Fadekemi, CEO and Founder of Avianna & Harvey Entertainments, explained that both the Basketball and Football teams will be solely for the boys while the tennis will be for both boys and girls.

“The Back2Base project is still a work in progress that is opened to changes as we deem fit, but for this edition, we only have boys of ages 17-20 taking part while the tennis is for both boys and girls,” she stated.

Fadekemi added that while the talent hunt programme itself will be for three days, the fourth day is reserved for an exclusive dinner with Mikel alongside the distinguishing athletes that would be discovered during the exercise.