21st January, 2013
Fifteen-year old Muri Lawal, an indigene of Oyo State but resident in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has been unanimously adjudged the Most Valuable Player MVP of the maiden edition of West Africa Soccer Reality Television show, the Glo Soccer Academy.
Announcing the choice of Lawal at the Academy last week, Team Manager, Victor Ikpeba said that Lawal’s choice was predicated on “delightful skills, exceptional sense of responsibility and infectious humility.” He spoke on behalf of the coaching crew made up of ex-Internationals Tijani Babangida, Zion Ogunfeyinmi, Tony Baffoe and Moussa Latounji as well as the Consultant, Chief Segun Odegbami.
He congratulated Lawal and the fifteen other finalists for emerging victorious at the end of the competition, and enjoined them to be focused, hard-working and committed to their careers as true professionals. He also urged them to put into practice the skills learnt at the Academy.
Lawal beat two other Academy members, Bismark Larbi from Ghana and Eteobong Elisha from Nigeria to win the coveted MVP prize.
With this victory, Muri Lawal has won the five million naira cash top prize as well as a trip to Manchester United Soccer Schools in the United Kingdom. In addition, he will enjoy a Scholarship award of N750,000.
Highly-elated Muri could not hold his joy after he was presented with the golden boot and other prizes. In a melodrama, Muri knelt down on the thick green rug in joy, prayed and whispered some songs of praise to God.
He thanked Globacom for the Academy which he said would harness the numerous latent talents wasting away at the grassroots and produce great world footballers who would rule the soccer world in future.
Muri said he would spend his prize money to help poor people in his community whilst conscientiously serving God for the rest of his life.
In his remarks, Globacom’s Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga Jr, GCON, represented by Director of Advertising, Mr. Tunde, counseled the lucky sixteen finalists not to neglect their academic studies even as they hone their football skills so as to become worthy role-models for African youths.
He announced that the sixteen finalists have automatically become Globacom Ambassadors, and advised them to continue to be responsible, dedicated, just and fair in all their endeavours.
He reiterated Globacom’s avowed commitment to elevating African football to an enviable height through value-adding initiatives such as the Glo Soccer Academy and the annual Glo-CAF Awards among numerous other initiatives.
Dr Adenuga expressed happiness about the palpable impact the Glo Soccer Academy had on the boys during their stay at the Academy.
He thanked the Technical crew and all those who contributed substantially to make the Glo Soccer Academy a resounding success. He expressed optimism that very soon, products of the Academy would form the nucleus of the national teams in Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Republic.