Kunle Adelabu
The management of the Igbogbo Beach Soccer team, also known as the Adeboruwa Boys, that is representing the Ikorodu Division at the National Beach Soccer League, has stated that various reasons were accounted for the team’s inability to participate in the 2023 league ongoing in Kebbi State.
Adeboruwa Boys are one of the three Beach Soccer teams that are representing the state at the national level.
While the team participated in the maiden and second edition of the league, Adeboruwa Boys are missing in action at the third edition of the national Beach Soccer League which is ongoing in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
The Manager of the team, Mr Ademola Ogunlewe, at a press conference to herald the 12th edition of the 2023 Oldies Appreciation Game & Family Funfair, explained that Igbogbo Soccer team and other teams are not participating due to many issues and challenges.
He explained that a major reason that prevented the team from participating is the lack of pitch to prepare the team ahead of the league due to the demolition of the beach soccer pitch constructed at the Igbogbo Stadium, due to ongoing reconstruction.
He appealed for the inclusion of a beach soccer pitch in the ongoing reconstruction as a way of promoting the game which Igbogbo has been known for.
‘’Some of these (problems) have to do with funding because the teams have to travel far distances, prepare and a whole lots of other things. Beach soccer is a growing game’’, he said while responding to a question from THE IMPACT reporter at the press conference.
‘’We will not get tired, rather, we will keep growing and nurturing our talents. It is not only the national league alone that we have as a competitive game, there are other competitions for beach soccer that we ought to be participating in.
‘’Our plans are to nurture players and ensure that they are promoted to national and international standards with clubs abroad. We are not part of the league this year, hopefully, we will be part of the next edition’’, Ogunlewe stated.
He further explained problems responsible for the inability of the team to participate in the current league, in an interview with THE IMPACT, after the briefing.
‘’The number one problem is the pitch. We spent about N400, 000 to create a beach soccer pitch at the Igbogbo Stadium, but when the state government came around for the rehabilitation/upgrading of the stadium, they demolished everything. Of course, the government’s effort is a welcome one’’, he said.
‘’However, we are still looking for ways of ensuring that the beach soccer pitch is included in the upgrading of the Igbogbo Stadium because it has become our culture here. It is important because we have been representing the Ikorodu Division and the Lagos State at the national level and we must continue to represent.
‘’Our beach soccer team is the only community- based beach soccer professional team in Nigeria. What is working for Kaduna and other northern teams, is that they are creating permanent and temporary structures to draw the beach soccer away from Lagos, which is the traditional home of the game because we are in the coastal area’’, he said.
‘’Specifically, Ikorodu Division is a coastal area, and we have made beach soccer to be part and parcel of us. Unfortunately, at present, the renovation of the stadium is at standstill, and we do not know if we are going to have the beach soccer structure in it. We will continue to have problems training our boys for beach soccer because we don’t have anywhere to take them to.
‘’We don’t have any designated area or specific structure for the promotion of beach soccer, however, we will remain undaunted, because that stadium we provided for training, which was demolished for the reconstruction works ongoing in the stadium, was our way of promoting beach soccer in Ikorodu Division as a whole, up to the national level’’, he explained further.
“Works are ongoing across the state to build standard sporting facilities and we must keep pushing in protecting our own interests. I am sure that government will resume work soon on the project”, he added
He appealed for support and concerted efforts in creating structures for the beach soccer game to be part of culture of Ikorodu because of the coastal nature of the division and moreso, because of the exploits of the team that has been projecting the Ikorodu and Lagos image.
‘’It’s not about the league that we missed alone, but creating a structure that would stand the test of time. How do we do that? We need support and sponsors and the government must lead by doing the needful’’, he said.
‘’So many players are interested in the game and are eyeing the national league and national team, but there is nothing that we can do without the pitch. We also need corporate bodies and local markets and individuals. It might not be because they are giving us so much money, but because they support us in their little ways.
‘’We want people and local brands to sponsor jerseys for us, provide us with transport fare, accommodation funds and pay the players who are not permanent players, because they have other things that they are doing but just have passion for beach soccer.
‘’We have met with Kabiyesi (HRM (Oba) Semiudeen Kasali) and the Council Chairman, Builder Sesan Daini to express our position to them on the beach soccer team. Kabiyesi is willing to assist us in speaking with people to support us and hopefully, we will be able to do something ahead of this year’s beach soccer tournament.
‘’We were even encouraged to bid for the hosting right of the national beach soccer league, unfortunately, we don’t know if we will still be able to do that. If we are still granted the hosting right, it is something that we can do between June and July, with support from stakeholders and government.
‘’We are appealing to all the stakeholders in Ikorodu Division to support the team that is representing the Division at the national level. We have coastal communities around us, beach soccer is ours. Let us take ownership of it. The northerners that are not in coastal areas, are the ones taking charge of it.
‘’There must be concerted efforts to promote this game. Even though it’s not a conventional game, we can engage a lot of youths with it’’, he appealed.
