By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos
Arrangements have been concluded for the kick off of the maiden ‘Above 50’ Football Championship slated for July 28 to 30, 2023 at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos even as organisers have assured of a hitch free competition put together for the senior citizens of the country.
Disclosing this to New Nigerian Sports on Saturday at the Police College Ikeja, Lagos training pitch shortly after leading his team in a training session, initiator/sponsor of the tournament, Dr. Edward Olutoke explained that the Local Organising Committee ( LOC) has been working round the clock to ensure that all the participating teams have real fun in the three day tournament as well as show Nigerian youths that life begins at 50 and that age is no barrier to football.
“Our plan is to make this maiden edition a memorable one and as you can see, the enthusiasm among the players is great and many teams have registered to be part of the fun.
“What we’re doing is to create avenue for the elderly to catch fun, exercise, network and show the youths that they can equally play football and to ensure a hitch free competition, we’ve put in place all logistics that will make the tournament a huge success.”
Olutoke who is the President of Ikeja Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, reminded the players the the tournament is all about friendship and people coming together to enjoy themselves and as such rough plays and dangerous tackles must be avoided.
“My advise to the players is that the championship is not a do or die affair and they must see is as building friendship, comradeship and networking and as such must avoid fighting and rough tackles. But of course we’ve already told them that any yellow card attracts a fine of N50,000 while red card will attract N200,000 to be paid by the player involved.
He also announced that besides football, they’re also exposing them on how to make money every Wednesday and Saturdays in their office in Lagos and Tuesdays and Saturdays in their Abuja office.
“Apart from the football aspect, we also teach the players how to make money without working too hard because it’s only the smart people make money all over the world.
“We teach them that as they’re doing their job, people can be working for them. People can be working for you in the farm and at the end of the month, put money in your pocket. You must not be the one who will buy the land, clear and cultivate it, plant on it and do the harvest; you must allow other people to do the money making for you,” he said.
According to Olutoke whose organisation is known as “Poverty Fighters’, he keeps telling people that there are only two money making people in the world and they’re called the time buyers and time sellers.
He noted that people who sell their time, sell it to time buyers who understands very well that the best way to make money is time so they gather many people to come and work for them as directors, accountants and managers and by so doing, they buy everybody’s time and from the money you make for them, they pay you stipends just as he explained that only the smart people make money.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee ( LOC) Dr. Rafiu Ladipo who also doubles as the President General of Nigeria Football Supporters Club while commending the sponsor for putting so much resources in the tournament admonished the teams to comport themselves well as a way of appreciating his efforts.
He also announced that the final training session for all the teams is Wednesday, July 26 while arrival of all the teams will be Thursday, July, 27 when all the teams will be received at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Institute For Sports ( NIS), Lagos.
Ikeja Above 50 FC, Abuja Above 50 FC, Abeokuta Above 50 FC, Redemption Camp Above 50 FC and Itire- Ikate Above 50 FC have all registered for the tournament while more are expected to register before Wednesday’s deadline.
Winners of the tournament will go home with N5 million while the first and second runners-up will get N2 million and N1 million respectively.
