A member of Nigeria’s cadet national team, Golden Eaglets, to Finland 2003 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Pascal Chijioke Ebigbo has joined the growing array of sports stars and personalities churning out funds in support of the football team of Will-B Excellence Secondary School, Ikotun, Lagos.
Ebigbo, who played in the Eaglets alongside John Mikel Obi and Chinedu Obasi, is now based in England and happily married with kids that he is already grooming to become footballers, even as he also continues remembering his roots back home in Nigeria.
With that in mind, the lad that grew up in the Surulere area of Lagos has now doled out a handsome donation in response to an appeal on social media by the team manager of Will-B school’s football team, who disclosed that the students needed financial support ahead of a crucial match next week Saturday.
Now aged 33, Ebigbo, who is still registered officially with Ramsgate FC in England’s non-league division one, added that he is also wishing the Will-B boys a successful outing in their upcoming ceremonial match before the final of the maiden FIRITISH Cup, which comes up on May 1st at Olympic Field, near the headquarters of The Lord’s Chosen Church.
The match is expected to be graced by some football scouts from Europe, who specially flew in to watch matches of the competition being sponsored by two Italy-based brothers, Friday and Timothy Ebeye, in conjunction with one of their childhood friends, David Opeyemi (aka Shola Garber) at the location where they grew up in the round leather game.
Group matches of the competition ended on Wednesday and, heading into the knock-out phase, chairman of the organizing committee, Omoette Athan (aka Coach Lapa) affirmed that planning is now in full gear towards next Saturday’s final.
With that in view, the captain of Will-B Excellence Secondary School senior boys’ team, Daniel Aribatise disclosed that he and his colleagues had already started thinking about taxing themselves to raise money to hire a bus that would take them to and from the venue, which is off Ijesha Bus Stop, along Oshosdi/Mile 2 Expressway.
Aribatise, however, enthused that the donation by Ebigbo, who also received accolades from the school principal, Mr Gboyega Tosin Adeuyi, now means he and his colleagues can relax and bank on their team manager to foot the bills for the trip to Ijesha and back, while also taking care of their welfare packages and refreshments for the game.
Incidentally, Aribatise, who is also the games’ prefect of the school, was also the leader in Red House during the recent mini-sports festival at the highly formidable and esteemed academic institution located at Adejonwo Street, off Abogunloko Street, Ikotun, Lagos and owned by Elder Williams Folorunsho Olaoye.
He recalled how former Super Eagles’ midfielder, John Ugochukwu Ogu (aka Suker) provided a full set of jerseys for the contingent’s match past event through ‘Coach Lapa,’ while South Africa-based clergyman, Pastor Victor Ukozor Macdonald also boosted their purchase of red vests and drinks for all their members.
Two parents, from Ginika Anyanwu and Miracle Eddy, also supported the house, who went on to win gold in the female senior and junior sprints through Precious Okereke and Cynthia Nnayere, but fell short in fourth place on the overall table, but Aribatise is of a view that the football team will get a better result next Saturday in the ceremonial match before the FRITISH Cup 2021 final.
While the internet has already been abuzz with accolades rolling from home and abroad in favour of Ebigbo, the former striker’s efforts have inspired similar gestures from his former colleagues at National Grassroots Dream Team, led by Shakiru Abikoye and Abraham Alechenu.
The team has also been buoyed by additional trappings from two youth football zealots, Prince Emmanuel Adeyemi Bepo and Yemi Mapaderun, much to the delight of Aribatise and his colleagues, as they prepare for the ceremonial match next Saturday.
The May Day game will also accord ‘The Excellent Boys’ another opportunity to showcase their rising profile, which recently saw them win the Baale of Ije Ododo Coronation Cup at Ije Ododo Junior Grammar School and they are fast-turning into a formidable force to be reckoned with in the comity of students’ football teams in and around Alimosho local government of Lagos State.
Among the very promising lads from Elder Olaoye’s school are Victor Adeshola, who was voted most valuable player at the Coronation Cup, as well as the head boy, Toluwanimi Olaoye, able midfielders Ibrahim Ayeni and Favour Philip, the incoming captain, David Nnayere as well as a large array of talented lads in the junior team.
The Will-B Junior Football Team captain, Daniel Hassan has already been called into the fringes of the senior squad to understudy things heading into next Saturday’s game, ahead of which a squad meeting will hold next Thursday at the school’s premises and training will resume the following day at Community School, Abarange Road, Ikotun.
Heading into all this, Aribatise is already thinking of victory next Saturday, while also sending words of gratitude to Ebigbo and other donors, as the team captain and games perfect believes he and his colleagues have so much to play for, in order to justify all attention reposed in them and admits that they cannot afford to disappoint their well-wishers.
Aribatise declared: “We are grateful to our senior colleague and brother from England for donating this money to us for our upcoming match. We promise to make the best use of it and return with a good result from the match next Saturday, by The Grace of God.”
