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Samsung NextHero Cup: A window of opportunity for Nigerian youths

By DIPO OKUBANJO

BEGINNING from this month, prodigious talents in the country would have the opportunity of showcasing their soccer skills with a view to securing their future when as the inaugural edition of the Samsung NextHero Cup gets underway in Lagos.

The Samsung NextHero Cup is a programme put together by Search and Groom with support from global elecronic giants, Samsung, for the vulnerable, less privileged kids (male) between the ages of 14 -18 years. Search and Groom, a youth development initiative which became operational in 2003, started out as a driver of youth involvement in personal and social development activities. It has achieved a good measure of global recognition through alliances with the Streetfootballworld, FIFA “Football For Hope” and the Homeless World Cup.

Speaking in an interview with National Daily on the NextHero Cup, chief executive of Search and Groom, Mr. Yomi Kuku, said the project among other objectives sets out to help develop football through quality training and competitions within the Nigerian society as a measure of positioning the participants in readiness for the 2018 World Cup.

The programme, he disclosed, is mainly confined to communities in Lagos where Search and Groom operate. However, apart from the Ikeja, Ajegunle, Agege, Abesan/Ipaja and Ikorodu centres in Lagos, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital will also serve as a centre.

Kuku emphasised:"The programme is meant to be implemented over four months between September and December period to develop the character of the participants and giving them free will to make a good number of personal choices within team administration and togetherness. "Samsung NextHero Cup will discover the best of hidden talents in the players, coaches, referees, scouts and all the participants involved.It would be unleashed on the Nigerian football scene in the next ten years as heroes of the game at the global level."

The tournament, it was gathered, will also witness an aspect of ball joggling which we have tagged “My Ball” and is scheduled hold side by side with the main event which will climax on the 20th of December. Search and Groom focuses on capacity building and rehabilitation programmes using sports as a platform.