After three weeks of trials from July 18 to August 3rd in Ijora, Agege and Ikorodu areas of Lagos State, as well as three days at Astro Turf 2000 in Ikoyi, Nigeria's female team eventually emerged for this year's Homeless World Cup in Mexico, from October 6th to 14th at Zocalo Square, Mexico City.

Six of the players, Sarah Iloduba, Toyosi Alogba, Nimot Ahmad, Peace Ozehudu, Sudan Abidoye and Omolara Kolawole were selected from the three centres in Lagos, a selection which coordinator of the project, Yomi Kuku says was based on their skills, commitment and intelligence on the pitch as well as comportment during the various educational and interactive sessions they went through.

In the same vein, three girls from Calabar - Regina Otu, Glory Henshaw and Edikan Udoh - were chosen from the implementation of Community Connects for Youth Leadership football tournament, which held in Cross River State in December 2011, and they will join the girls in Lagos as part of Nigeria's team for the competition.

Kuku disclosed further that Rita Monday, Funmilola Adediran, Ololade Fadoyin and Damilola Omotosho have been placed on standby from Lagos as well as Uduak Jimmy and Ruth Unwana from Calabar.

"Final camp preparations for Mexico will resume in September 10, 2012 and will run until the team makes an early departure for Mexico on 1st October for acclimatisation," he concluded, while noting that the Mexico City 2012 Homeless World Cup will take place at the Plaza de la Constitución, Zócalo, a suburb of Mexico City.


Sam O'Femi Fasetire