Spanish champions, FC Barcelona, are set to establish their first official football academy in city of Lagos in the Sub-Sahara African nation of Nigeria.
Two top officials of the club, Pau Vilanova Vila-Abadal (FC Barcelona Director of Business and board member) and Oscar Grau (Worldwide Director of FC Barcelona Academy) paid a visit to the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to reveal their intention.
Vila-Abadal explained that Barca have decided to start an academy in Lagos owing to its huge population which will offer the Spanish club the chance to share their philosophy to youngsters in the state.
“There is a huge population base here (in Lagos) and the academy will offer footballing opportunities to the vast population,” said the Barca board member.
Grau was quite excited with the prospect, saying: “Emmanuel Amuneke, (Gbenga) Okunowo and (Haruna) Babangida have all played for Barcelona before, and we will be happy to find new players with talent to play for the club.”
Ambode assured that Lagos State is ready to go into partnership with FC Barcelona to make the academy a reality, as he believes it will bring about “a very good platform for youth development, grassroots empowerment and also the value of sportsmanship.”
“This visit by FC Barcelona is coming at a point where I believe strongly that we have nothing else to say than to say we are committed into this partnership because we know the partnership will give us the first FCBEscola in Africa. I was made to understand that this is the first of its kind in Africa and so Lagos is priding itself as a major receptor of the next academy to be established in Africa.
“I know that this will create a very good platform for youth development, grassroots empowerment and also the value of sportsmanship. We share the same values with FC Barcelona which are respect, courage, humility, social integration and community service.
“So, I just want to say that you have our blessing; you have our go ahead. Whatever it is that we need to do to ensure that this project takes off as quick as possible as a government, we are hundred per cent ready to support you in the interest of all of us,” the Lagos State governor assured.
FC Barcelona already have an academy, FCBEscola, in the Moroccan city of Casablanca. The academy was official opened in January 2015.
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