Capital city of Ogun State, Nigeria on Friday 17th of April launched a football club named Olumo United in the state capital Abeokuta. Olumo United Football Club is named after the ancestral tourist centre, “Olumo Rock”.
This launching is done for the club to be in the Division One cadre of Nigerian league system called the Nigerian National League NNL and will be playing there starting from next season with the home ground as Abeokuta.
According to Mr Segun Solanke the founder and Chairman of the newly found club, it is an indigenous club side that is established for the people of Ogun state, especially the youth to show their talents to Nigerians and to the world at large.
The chairman recounted the great clubs and players the state has created in time past which include Abiola Babes, not forgetting great footballers like Mudashiru Lawal, Segun Odegbami and the likes. He added that Olumo United FC is set to bring back the glory days of soccer in Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
In the words of the Chairman, “Olumo United Football Club, as the club is christened, is created to target young talents in Abeokuta city, Ogun State, Nigeria and Africa as a whole. We want to give our footballers the opportunity to showcase their God- given talents to the world.
“There is no doubt that 2020 is a year that will never be forgotten in Nigeria and the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we at Olumo United FC will also never forget 2020 as the year that we are launched into the Nigerian and international soccer community.
Olumo FC chairman emphasizes the need to engage youth in sports claiming the such move will prevent crime among the youth and it’s an avenue to discover their talents “Sports and recreational activities remain the best approach to engage our youths and make them discover themselves early in life because doing this will improve their productivity and reduce crime rate in our society.”
As a newly founded club, scouting activities have already been going on but no fresh recruitments into the team yet. The Chief Head Scout of the club, Paul Olayemi Ogunlaja disclosed that trials and talents recruitment dates will be announced on the clubs social media handles; Twitter – @olumounitedfc, Facebook – https://facebook.com/olumounitedfc, Youtube – @olumounitedfc and Instagram – @olumounitedfc
He added, “We implore all youngsters between the ages 17 and 25 years to like and follow the club’s social media handles for them to get up to date information on the trials and the club’s activities,” Ogunlaja said.
Information coming from the office of the director of the club Bukola Alabi Edem tells the public that the academy arm of the club, which is also known as Kidsport Football Academy, will recruit to groom players from under 6 to 17 years who will be expecting to graduate and join the main club.
