PWF Champions Cup Will Shake Lagos

 Innocent Ogah is the founder of Pauline & Wilson Foundation, a Non-Government Organisation. His foundation is planning to sponsor PWF Champions Cup which kicks off on 1 October at Ikeja Cantoment. He spoke with SUNDAY AKINTOYE about his plans for the championship

 As a founder of Pauline & Wilson Foundation, PWF, a Non-Government Organisation, why do you want to sponsor PWF Champions Cup?

We are sponsoring PWF Champions Cup because we see it as part of our social responsibility. Part of our programme is to provide for indigent people in our communities, especially women and youth, the means to get good education, health and enhance community development.

Are you assuring us that the PWF Champions Cup will bring the best out of the youth?

Of course, yes, because we have set aside millions of naira to sponsor the tournament. The winning team will go home with the sum of N300, 000 and a trophy. We will also give prize monies to teams that get between second and forth positions. It is going to be a memorable championship. It will shake Lagos.

Your NGO has spent lots of money on the Champions Cup, did you get support from any corporate body or sports philanthropist?

Nobody has given us financial supports for this Cup. We are running it alone. We are capable of sponsoring the competition. However, we are ready for any sports philanthropist or corporate body that want to partner with for this soccer tourney.

Do you have plans for the talented players that will be discovered in the championship?

We have big plans for the best players that will be discovered in our tournament . I will invite some FIFA licensed football agents to watch some of the matches and any player that is marketable among them may be sponsored to Europe or shortlisted to play for any of the Nigerian professional clubs with the assistance of the PWF.

Apart from these, what other things the players stand to benefit from this championship?

We would consider players that display good characters throughout the tournament to be our ambassadors. It is a way of employing them. They will report to us what is happening to them in their clubs and we will always come to their aid.

Some of the coaches believe that a soccer competition like this should be a national event, what is your take on this?

You are right but don’t forget that this is the first edition. We want to use this edition to test how it works before taking it to the national level.

I am planning to organise a similar competition in Abia State in December.