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The owner of one of the fastest rising football academy in Nigeria, Mrs Uwem Asomugha, has disclosed that she never planned to establish Conqueror Football Academy.

Mrs Asomugha who is also the pastor and founder of Conqueror Praise Assembly, a church through which she has transformed many lives, said that the formation of Conqueror Football Academy was a divine arrangement.

Mrs Asomugha who spoke on Sunday when the members of Women Football All Stars Association of Nigeria WoFAAN, honoured her following her elevation to the position of Director in the federal ministry of education, added that she recruited over 80 players in 2016 when she started the academy.

“There was no initial plan to start Conqueror Football Academy. It was a divine arrangement and manifestation.

“Let me tell you a little story about the academy.   First and foremost the club is three and half years by this year.

“When I packed in newly to my house in Abuja, there was this day I lost my way and when I saw these group of young boys playing football, I stopped to ask them the direction to my house. So I was trying to locate my house.

“I did not know that it was a divine encounter. The place was filled with all manners of people – drunkards, cannabis smokers – all manners of people addicted to one thing or the other. When I saw them, they greeted me and the next day they came to me and asked me to adopt them.  

“I asked them to define the kind of adoption they need. And they said they want me to adopt them in the area of football. They explained to me what are involved in setting up such project even though it was not detailed.

“I inherited a group of young boys that the number rose up 80. I cannot tell you the financial involvement in the academy but God has been so faithful and we have gone far now.

“The first thing I did was to register the academy and the players. We have played in the Nigeria league and recently some players went abroad to further develop their career.

“The academy is three and half years old as I said earlier. You need to know that among the players I adopted, some were addicted to drugs, some were armed robbers. Some of them were really bad people but today, the story has changed because they have all completely turned around because of the word of God which has transformed them. I fed them and strengthen them with the word of God and make them realise that they have hope in life.

“Some of them are now ministers even though they still play football. When I see all transformation that have taken place in their lives, it gives me the zeal to do more.

“I can say to some extent that we have achieved what we have set Conqueror Football Academy for but we want to do better. There are a lot of helpless but highly talented boys out there. My zeal is still high, to reach out to these boys and see what I can do. To go to the various villages including the low income areas and pool out as many as I can to see how we can give them hope and change their lives through the word of God,” she said.

An elated Asomugha thanked the WoFAAN for their surprise package and asked God to bless them.

“I remain indebted in appreciation to WoFAAN for this great honour. Honestly, I did not expect it. May the good Lord we serve bless and protect them. They made me feel special, may God also make them special.

Earlier in her speech, the founder, WoFAAN, Barrister Victoria Nlemigbo, described Mrs Asomugha as an amazing woman worthy of celebration and commended her for all she has done to uplift female football in the country.

Founder Women Football All Stars Association of Nigeria WoFAAN,

“We are honouring one of our board of trustees member, Dr. Mrs. Uwem Asomugha, a dedicated woman. Her birthday was two weeks ago and she got promoted to the office of a director at the Federal Ministry of Education. She has been supporting us and done enough to support our association. So the FCT chapter decided to honour her with a novelty match and other activities.

“She is like light that enters and darkness disappears. She impacts happiness in anyone she comes across. She is a wonderful woman. She is a woman that Nigerians should celebrate. We need many more women like her in our society today. She is an amazing person.

“She is the Head of ICT Unit in the Ministry of education. So she is an asset to the youth, women, humanity and Nigeria at large. I expect that she will continue to impact in the lives of people through what she does.”

Activities to mark the two events included church service and a novelty match in honour of the celebrant, Uwem Asomugha.

In the novelty match played between FCT ex Professionals and FCT All Stars, the former defeated the later by 3-2. The highlight of the match was when the celebrant dribbled all the All Stars players to score the second goal for the Ex Professional.

She wasted no time few minutes later, to score for the All Stars against the Ex Professionals. She dribbled former Super Falcons player Mary and founder of WoFAAN, Barrister Victoria Nlemigbo to equalise for the All Stars.

Highpoints of match included presentation of various cards to the celebrant for her birthday and a congratulatory message card for her promotion.