Nigeria striker, Yakubu Ayegbeni will launch a charity Foundation and football academy before next year’s African Nations Cup to assist underprivileged children in Nigeria.

“I just believe that I have had a successful career and the best thing I can do for myself and my family, is to put some of what I have got into helping other people so that they can also be in a position to help others too in the future.

“I think that is the way for all of us to help develop our country,” Yakubu said.

The player’s advisor Adedapo Kujore-Olowu said that plans for the charity had been in the pipeline for a while, and the time was now right to get started.

“Yakubu believes that he would not be where he is without Nigeria, and he has always felt that he needed to do something in his own little way to say thank you to his country for what it has done for him.

“So this is a process that has been in the works for some time now, and we believe the time is right to start something,” Olowu said.

“Yakubu is one of the most recognised players in Nigeria. He has played for three Premier League clubs and scored goals wherever he has played.

“Now, he feels it is time for him to start scoring goals of a different sort which would help give underprivileged children in Nigeria a chance to make something out of their lives.”

The ‘Yak Foundation and Football Academy’ will not only help underprivileged children, especially those in orphanages; it will also help in taking care of public schools to help improve the standard of education in Nigeria.”