How Nigerian Football Can Get Better – Bishop Okonkwo

Presiding Bishop of ” The Redeemed Evangelical Mission” (TREM), Bishop Mike Okonkwo says there is need to restructure the country’s football for it to be at par with those of other countries.
He gave the advise during the finals of season 16 of the annual Bishop Mike Okonkwo Football competition which was rounded up at the play ground of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.
According to the man of God, it is only by restructuring the country’s football and allowing experienced administrators handle the affair that we can arrest the dwindling fortune of the various national teams at international competitions.
” I’ve said it on many occasions that our football need total restructuring. We must organise the game in such a way that only competent persons handle affairs concerning our football and unless we do that, the country will continue to put up poor performance at both the continent and at the World level’, he warned.
On his continuous sponsorship of the biggest grassroots football tournament in the country, he attributed it to his decision to not only empower the youths through football but to create an avenue for them to exhibit their talents and become future stars.
“My decision to sustain the championship was borne out of the desire to encourage talented footballers to exhibit their skills and become future stars and am happy that since the inception of the tournament, many talented youths have been discovers and I will continue to sponsor the championship”, he assured.
Bishop Okonkwo who used the occasion to celebrate his 73rd birthday, commended the Local Organising Committee of the championship led by Deacon Malachy Ndubuzor for a job well done with a promise that next year’s edition will be more glamorous.
Meanwhile in the finals, Pisyon Divine Royals FC defeated Dominion Hotspur by 2-1 to be crowned champion while in the females category, Young Talent 99 Queens recorded a 4-3 penalty win over Victory Queens after their game ended 1-1 at regulation time to emerge winners just as the exhibition match between TREM pastors team and Lagos SWAN ended 1-1.
Winners of the competition apart from lifting the giant trophy at stake were N700,000 richer while the first and second runners- up got N300,000 and N200,000 respectively while the females got N150,000, N100,000 and N50,000 each.