Rivers
20 Make OPM’s Overseas Talent Soccer Sponsorship List
Having made impressive marks in educational scholarships to indigent Nigerian youngsters both at home and overseas, free schools and hospitals, the Omega Power Ministries (OPM) has opened another vista of opportunities to Nigerian youths to engage in meaningful means of earning a living in order to avoid involvement in criminal activities.
The new opening is talent scouting for soccer stars among teeming Nigerian youths through the OPM FC Tournament which featured 82 clubs in the just-concluded edition at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia on Friday, July 5, 2024.
The aim of the tournament, according to the Chief sponsor, and General Overseer of OPM, Apostle Gift Chinyere Chibuzor, is to select the very best in the competition for overseas football career, particularly in Europe where some of them will be contracted to notable football clubs and some loaned or sold to other clubs to earn a good living.
Speaking to journalists after the tournament, Apostole Chibuzor said both registration and scouting is free of charge for all participants, while all the cost is born by the OPM raised through offerings and tithes by the members of the church.
According to the man of God, one special feature of the current edition of the tournament is that the overseas partners, notably Dembava F. K. Luthania, representated by Dambrauskes Saulius and his crew, had to fly down to Nigeria for the selection instead of selecting and sending them overseas where some of them may not be lucky for the final test and have to be flown back home with attendant extra costs.
Apostle Chibuzor also disclosed that there would be another scouting test in September which may include boxing and, perhaps, other sports,## to widen the horizon of taking the youths off criminal activities.
He urge#d energetic and interested youths to take advantage of the OPM tournament to showcase their talents and redeploy the energies used in robbing into something positive and more rewarding through the ring sport (boxing).
“In the spirit of gender friendliness, a agood number of girls were among those selected for the contract. By Monday those that were selected would have received their contract letters, visas, accommodation and travelling tickets, etc, for the onward journey to Europe”, Apostle Chinyere stated.
Also speaking, the leader of the Overseas partners, Dambrauskes Saulius, said it was very significant to come down to Nigeria to source for raw talents.
He, however, expressed regret the inability to take the numerous talents at a go, and having to do with only 10 males and 10 females for a period of two years.
On his part, Coach Stanley Eguma commended the Omega Power Ministries and its General Overseer, HRM, Apostle Chinyere, for giving back to society through football and taking the minds of the youths off social vices.
The captain of OPM FC, Chuks Okechukwu, was also full of thanks and praises to Apostle Chinyere for his love for the youths and humanity generally, wishing him good health and long life.
The OPM FC won the current edition of the trophy to the admiration of the OPM G.O. with a cash prize of N1million, while the first and second runners-up got N500,000.00 and N300,000.00, respectively.
Recall that the OPM FC has won the Super League FC organized by the Rivers State Football Association two times back to back, Zion Club, two times in addition to the present victory.