Emma Jemegah
The Kanu International Football Academy (KIFA) is targeting 1000 grassroots players from 100 schools across the country.
Kanu, while outlining the academy’s programme in Lagos, said KIFA had come to fill the void by resuscitating grassroots, as well as ensure conscious awareness, adding that the academy is partnering with schools for the players to combine football with academics.
The former Super Eagles captain said having studied the existing academies in the country; he discovered that they are after commercial gains without teaching the players morals.
“I didn’t come from a good background; I’m a product of the streets. While growing up, we scrambled to play in YSFON for the few opportunities available, but KIFA is all about combining education with football. Our players must be sound educationally to play in the academy,” he said.
The Director of KIFA, Prince Dapo Ajibade said Kanu is not interested in money, but in football development. He said the academy has 100 centres spread across 24 states in all the six regions of Nigeria, adding that the ultimate aim was to train 10, 000 students in partnership with Association of Formidable Educational Development (AFED).