...donates football kits
A Benue born UEFA licensed Coach based in Switzerland, Emmanuel Agbike on Saturday hosted an intensive football exhibition at Source of Wisdom Schools, Makurdi.
The exhibition provided local children with a taste of elite-level European training and was organised with the theme: “A Day with Coach Emmanuel”, focusing on technical mastery.
Coach Agbike had spent seven years as a Camp Leader with the prestigious Real Madrid Football School, and returned to his roots in Benue State to give back what the society has given him.
The programme was fueled by a donation of brand-new football equipment from Agbike’s home club in Switzerland, FC Celerina.
The day kicked off at 8:30 AM. Unlike typical kickabouts, Agbike ensured that every single child had a ball at their feet for the duration of the drills. The curriculum included high-intensity sessions on dribbling, 5-meter passing accuracy, and “weak-foot” development.
“The idea behind this was just to give the children that feel of professional football training,” Agbike stated.
He described the morning sessions as “dancing with the ball,” focusing on ball protection and technical ball-handling.
“We do different drills which is also good for the brain development of a child not just writing with the right hand or writing also with the left hand, so same thing we integrate in football”, he explained.
The Coach said the initiative was born out of a partnership between him and the Head of Source of Wisdom School, Mr. Msugh Anom.
“This was completely non-for-profit; we gave out jerseys, we gave out balls to the students,” Agbike explained, noting that he personally covered the extra luggage costs to bring the gear from Europe.
“I had these materials donated by my football club in Switzerland and I thought, ‘I want to give back to the community.’”
Agbike was stunned by the natural ability of the Makurdi youths. Having coached across Germany and Switzerland, he noted that the “Benue boys” displayed unique tenacity.
“I’m positively impressed. I’m not surprised compared to what I’ve seen today, these guys are just talented,” Agbike remarked.
“These Nigerian kids are amazing. They’re really ready to learn, willing to fight, give all out. And look at the conditions; this is not even the best training ground, and yet their enthusiasm, they just want to soak up everything”, he added.
The exhibition initially planned as a one-off event changed with the overwhelming response which inspired Agbike to look towards a long-term commitment. He expressed the desire to make these clinics a regular feature of his visits to Nigeria.
“My heart is my grassroots here, Makurdi, to start from here. Makurdi is my starting point, and I want to emphasise my heart for Makurdi football,” he said.
He therefore appealed to parents to support their children’s athletic dreams, emphasising that parental encouragement is the backbone of any professional career.
“I want to really encourage parents to encourage their children and support them in this endeavor of footballmy dream is to see Benue dominating the Super Eagles”, he concluded.
On his part, the Operations Manager at Source of Wisdom Schools, Mr Msugh Anom said the collaboration was born out of a long-standing relationship between Agbike and the school’s leadership.
Anom noted that the institution already maintains an elaborate sporting programme, making it an ideal beneficiary for this specialised training.
“This opportunity came about because Mr. Agbike, who has been a friend since childhood, wanted to give back to the community.He chose our school to benefit from this clinic, providing professional-level drills without seeking payment”.
He said the participating students demonstrated a level of performance that Anom described as “comparably impressive” when measured against international standards.
He commended the the school’s parent body for contributed funding and logistical support to ensure the event’s success.
Anom said following the success of the clinic, the school management plans to return to the “drawing board” to develop a long-term strategy for talent management. While this specific event featured only boys due to interest-based selection, emphasising that the school’s broader athletic programme remains fully inclusive.
“We don’t just have plans for girls; we have an ongoing programme for them. In our upcoming inter-house sports, girls will compete in everything from football and basketball to handball”, he added.
Anom concluded by urging parents to continue investing in their children’s athletic abilities, noting that sports can serve as a viable primary or alternative source of income in the future.
Some of the participants, Kar-ter Ukange and David Kavera who spoke with The Voice shared their positive experiences and enthusiasm for the programme.
They expressed sincere thanks to the school and the organisers for bringing the programme to them, even as they thanked their parents for supporting them.
The event was conceptualised by Coach Agbike as a community service initiative, leveraging his professional experience working with youth programmes in Switzerland and Germany.
