A team of six outstanding kid-footballers selected from the 2013 Airtel Rising Stars football tournament paid a courtesy visit to Vanguard Newspapers yesterday to show appreciation for the corporate support the programme has received from the newpaper.

The Airtel Rising Stars in a Group photograph With Vanguard Staff s Augustina Boniface Best Goal Keeper(back rol)l )2nd (left)Front roll Mr Felix Ofulue PR . Airtel Nigeria Mr. Akabude Uche Peter – Blueflower Ltd Media Manger f(irst Back )and Lilian Ukara During the Airtel Rising Stars Visit Vanguard Media Apapa Lagos Photo By Diran Oshe

The team which was led by Felix Ofulue, a senior manager n Airtel Public Relations department was received by Vanguard’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Victor Omorege, the Administration and HR Manager, Victor Gotebve and Prince Osuagwu, Hitec editor.

Speaking on the visit, Ofulue said his organisation was appreciative of Vanguard’s invaluable contributions to the ARS project and had come to say “thank you.”

In response, Gotebve challenged the kid-stars to grow beyond “rising stars” and become the “real stars.”

Said he, “It is not enough to remain a rising star. Ask yourself, after here what next? You got to grow to become stars.”

The team which include six footballers(three males and three females) had just returned from Rwanda after attending a week-long football clinic, organised by Arsenal FC in Kigali.

Members of the team shared their experiences..

Season 4 of the Airtel Rising Stars programme will soon commence, organisers have said. The programme offers young boys and girls equal opportunity to showcase their football skills.