Nigeria’s contingent to the just concluded Airtel Rising Stars Football Clinic, a one-week international football training programme in South Africa, has commended Airtel Nigeria for playing a central role in the development of grassroots football in the country.

The youngsters, who returned from South Africa, recently, commended the company for providing an international platform for the development of young footballers.

The captain of the team, Murtala Oriyomi Lawal, a 13-year-old footballer and student of Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Port Harcourt said the South African football clinic was a life-changing experience and a positive event in the lives of participants.

He revealed that the Airtel Rising Stars programme was ‘God-sent’, saying the initiative was specially designed to uplift, empower and enrich the lives of exceptionally talented footballers across the African continent.

The team that represented Nigeria at the South African Football Clinic comprised Josephine Mattias, Highest Goal Scorer (female); Ngozi Owuama Most Valuable Player (female); Murtala Lawal, Most Valuable Player (male); Chibuzor Obasi, Highest Goal Scorer (male); and, Adamu Abubakar, Best Goal Keeper (male).

All the five players were selected based on their youthfulness; strong technical, physical, and mental abilities; good tactical abilities and general discipline.