The Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure will again come alive when the 2022 edition of Abe & Friends annual reunion game and empowerment programme takes centre stage on the 21st of December 2022.
Abe & Friends is an age long initiative of Sunshine Stars’ captain, Sunday Abe and his associates.
Activities to kick start this year’s edition include a visit to Government Orphanage Home, Akure – Oba Ile Road, mini grassroot tournament for U-12 boys involving Brighten FA, Agbana U-12, Florence Joshua U-12 and Akure City FA.” Abe revealed.
The programme in its fourteenth year will also feature a novelty game for ex players domiciled in Ondo State which include, Sunshine Stars’ Head Coach, Edith Agoye, ex internationals, Kayode Julius, Kayode Emmanuel, Sade Akinrolabu among others.
A cameo is planned for ODSFA’s erstwhile Chairman, Prince Dapo Ajibade, while there will be room for Sunshine Stars’ General Coordinator, Akinyelure Tokunbo, Sunshine Stars Team Manager, Seun Betiku and a host of other retired players.
The programme climaxes with a reunion match for active football players, featuring international stars such as Kenneth Omeruo (MON), Goffrey Oboabona (MON), Chukwuma Akabueze, Tunde Adeniji, Abe and Dayo Ojo.
Others are Kola Kalejaye ‘Agali’, Razaq Adegbite, Seun Olulayo, David Ariyo, Alaba Adeniyi, Kehinde Adedipe, Nzube Anaezemba and a handful of players drawn from Sunshine Stars and other professional sides within and beyond Nigeria.
“I am happy for how far we have come with this programme and grateful for that that has honoured this call of togetherness and giving back to the society. As previous years lot of personalities will be coming around for the event.” Abe said.
Dignitaries expected at the Ondo State Sports Complex for the event are the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, former DG NSF and IMC Chair, Otunba (Hon) Gbenga Elegbeleye, Ondo Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Dele Ologunloluwa.
Others are GM, Ondo Sports Council, Mr Henry Babatunde, ODSFA GM, Prince Tunde Ogunja, former ODSFA Chair, Otunba Akin Akinbobola, Laliga Nigeria Chief, Mr Deji Adegbenro, Players Union representatives and many more important personalities.
The programme comes up on Wednesday (21 December 2022) and starts by 7am.
Credit – Chris Okunnuwa
