Saidi Balogun Applauds Appointment of Abdullahi, Omeruo To City Boy Sports Directorate

Veteran actor, producer and director, Ambassador Saidi Balogun, has applauded the appointment of former Super Eagles internationals Shehu Abdullahi and Kenneth Omeruo as Deputy Director, Sports and Assistant Director, Sports respectively, under the Entertainment, Creative Economy and Sports Directorate of the City Boy Movement.

Balogun, who serves as the National Director of the Directorate, described the appointments as a welcome development and said he was proud to have the two accomplished footballers join the team.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his media team, Balogun congratulated Abdullahi and Omeruo, noting that their experience in professional football would add value to the Directorate’s efforts to engage young Nigerians through sports.

He said their arrival would strengthen the Directorate’s capacity as it prepares to take the message of the City Boy Movement and the Renewed Hope Agenda to youths and Nigerians across the country.

According to Balogun, however, the appointments should be viewed beyond political mobilisation, stressing that the new appointees are being called to contribute their experience towards addressing some of the challenges confronting Nigeria’s sports sector.

“This is a call to duty,” Balogun said, explaining that the responsibility of the newly appointed sports directors would include helping to develop practical initiatives around talent discovery, mentorship and youth empowerment.

He said the Directorate would work with Abdullahi and Omeruo to explore ways of identifying talented young Nigerians at the grassroots, providing mentorship opportunities and creating platforms through which emerging athletes could develop their careers.

Balogun expressed confidence that the football backgrounds of the two former internationals would be particularly useful in connecting the Directorate with young people across different communities.

Shehu Abdullahi brings considerable domestic and international football experience to his new role.

The former right-back and midfielder represented Nigeria at youth and senior international levels and was part of the Super Eagles setup that competed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

He also played professional football in several countries, including Kuwait, Portugal, Cyprus and Turkey. His international career saw him feature alongside several generations of Super Eagles players.
His experience across different leagues and his exposure to international football are expected to be useful as the Directorate develops programmes aimed at young athletes.

Kenneth Omeruo is also a vastly experienced former Super Eagles defender who has represented Nigeria at some of the biggest international tournaments.

He was a member of Nigeria’s squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Omeruo was among Nigeria’s senior defenders in major international competitions, alongside Abdullahi and other established Super Eagles players.

His experience of playing professional football in Europe and representing Nigeria at international level gives him a background that the Directorate intends to deploy in developing its sports-related programmes.
Balogun said the Directorate’s sports agenda would not be limited to football or political engagement.

He explained that the broader objective is to use sports as a platform for youth development by creating opportunities for young Nigerians to discover and develop their talents while gaining access to mentorship and empowerment programmes.

He said the Directorate would seek to work with relevant stakeholders, former athletes and sports practitioners to develop initiatives that can reach young people at the grassroots.

Balogun further welcomed the two appointees to the Directorate and urged them to bring their experience, networks and knowledge of the sporting industry to bear on their new responsibilities, adding that the Directorate looks forward to working with Abdullahi and Omeruo as part of its efforts to build a stronger connection between the City Boy Movement, Nigerian youths and the wider sporting community.

The National Director once again congratulated both former Super Eagles players, describing their appointments as an opportunity to combine their experience in football with a broader commitment to youth engagement, talent discovery, mentorship and empowerment.