Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

‘RCCG’s Dove Academy ‘ll win souls, groom talents through sports’

By Alex Monye
21 April 2023   |   3:54 am
General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has unveiled the Dove Sports Academy, which he said, is part of the church’s efforts to discover more sporting talents from the grassroots.
Pastor Enoch Adeboye

Pastor Enoch Adeboye | Pleasures Magazine

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has unveiled the Dove Sports Academy, which he said, is part of the church’s efforts to discover more sporting talents from the grassroots.

Speaking at the academy’s unveiling at the weekend in Redeemers High School field, Redemption Camp, Lagos, officials of the church disclosed that the school would begin with football, athletics and cricket.

According to RCCG’s Director of Sports, Yamala Frederick, the academy would engage Nigerian youths in more productive enterprises from their formative stage.

“The vision of Daddy GO, Pastor Adeboye, is to win over 40 million souls by 2032 and we have promised in the sports department to win 10 million souls through the Dove U -15 and 17 academy put together by RCCG.

“Sports is a credible tool to improve the productivity of youths in the country and also draw them close to God to avoid them engaging in all forms of criminal vices that is inimical to the society. The project is to assist develop sports in Nigeria,” he said.

Frederick added: “Activities for now at the Dove Sports Academy are football, athletics and cricket. The purpose of the event is to launch the academy into operation. Our purpose is to groom talents in various sports.

“Children interested in taking to sports are given the platform to do so at the academy. They will have access to scholarship and other opportunities in education, aside from sports, while at the academy.”

Present at the event was one of Nigeria’s sports icons, Friday Ekpo, who enjoined more churches and schools to join RCCG in creating avenue of developing sports in the country.

The former Super Eagles’ midfielder, said: “I thank the organisers of the Dove Sports Academy for this laudable initiative. Youth involvement in education and sports promotes a healthy society. This initiative will help reduce age cheating and create the path to talent discovery from the grassroots.

“The children will get the best facilities to develop their skills in different sports in this project. I pray the programme is sustained to improve the standard of talent hunt in Nigeria.”

Also speaking at the event, Educational Cultural Officer of Brazil Consulate in Nigeria, Adeniran Olushola Arimoran, said the RCCG sports academy would open more doors for Nigerian youths to strive in their sports career.

“The Dove Sports Academy will go a long way to develop young athletes from the grassroots. It is a base for future sports stars to be discovered. A platform like this is needed to help youths succeed in their sports career.”

He urged the sports ministry to encourage more organisations to emulate the RCCG initiative by establishing sports academy in their communities.

0 Comments