The founder of Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation, High Chief Summers Nwokie has tipped Ikukuoma Football Club to gain promotion to Nigerian top-flight football.
Nwokie, who floated Ikukuoma FC out of the burden to engage youths in Mbaise, has set the target to rise to the pinnacle of Nigerian league football from the Nationwide Division One.
His words: “Even when we were in the youth league, Ikukuoma FC is the best. We are working our way up to be the best. We have done that in the youth league, now we are growing up to be in the premier league. Sports lovers should watch out for Ikukuoma FC. We are coming to the premier league and its going to be hot.”
Speaking on the 2023 Ikukuoma Mbaise Owerri Zonal U-20 Football Tournament, Nwokie said the aim to raise football stars from the zone.
He went further to reveal that a 30,000 sitting capacity FIFA stadium is undergoing massive construction in Mbaise, that will harness the potentials of the youths in Mbaise.
“It’s something we often do and this is the fifth edition now from Ezinihitte Mbaise to Owerri Zone. What we do in sports is to try to make sure that we carry our youths along.
“A lot of youths are idle and as the saying goes, an idle man is the devil’s workshop. We try to harness their talents. Who knows, we may have the next Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu or even Victor Osimhen. By the grace of God, we might find one from here.
“If we are focusing on trying to discover talents from the streets, first thing we ought to do is to give them the best facility. If we are talking about FIFA, it is an international body. We are not going to play in the rough edges.
“Our stadium is a FIFA standard stadium and by the grace of God, it ought to be 25,000 to 30,000 sitting capacity. Not only football, we are having a place for other sport to make sure that all our youths are carried along and who knows they might find their talents from here.”
