Akinwunmi, Adepoju for Cowbell Football Summer Camp opening 

The 2018 summer season of the renowned Cowbell Football Academy run by Godwin Dudu-Orumen will take off today at the National Stadium, Lagos with youngsters between ages four and 18.

Dudu-Orumen, known for his versatility in football management over the decades, said on Thursday that everything needed to make this year’s event successful has been done.

“This is our little way of helping to properly develop the game of football in Nigeria. We always take these young ones beyond the pitch as they’re also given life lessons.

“We have experts lined up to take them in various fields of this beautiful game. For instance, Dr. Amao will speak on sports medicine. And there are other motivational speakers on sports law and the media.

“The idea is to prepare them in every way so that they understand to have real expectations and not mere hearsay far beyond reality. At the end of it all we are producing players who understand the road they are taking mentally and physically,” he said.

Today’s opening ceremony has the First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Seyi Akinwunmi as the Chairman, while the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Kweku Tandoh is the Special Guest of Honour.

There are other notable members of the Nigeria sports family expected to attend. Former Super Eagles stars of Mutiu Adepoju, Yisa Sofoluwe, Franklin Howard and Gbenga Okunowo are all part of the huge event scheduled to begin by 10.00 a.m.

The Cowbell Football Academy is run in different centres across the country, including the National Stadium, which hosts the senior players. The juniors train at Jalupon Estate also in Surulere, Lekki Country Estate and centres in Badagry and Benin City.