History
will be made on Sunday July 23rd, 2017 as Ikeja City Mall in Lagos
hosts the first Nigerian National Freestyle Football Championship in Nigeria,
organized by Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited.
On
the choice of Ikeja City Mall as the venue of the event, Nzewi said that
the Mall has become the prime destination of choice for entertainment and
relaxation in Lagos, which will further be livened by activations never seen in
this part of the world. “Freestyle football is all about entertainment,
relaxation and competition, and we are set to create a new entertainment
business in Nigeria,” Chief Executive Officer of Feet n Tricks, Odyke Nzewi
said.
On
Friday, Nzewi, said all plans had been concluded to stage a memorable event
that Lagosians would remember for a long time.
Nzewi
said further: “The concept is new here in the country but truth is the talents
are here in abundance. We want to showcase those we have picked as finalists.
“Our
team has been able to put in so much hard work in all areas of logistics to
make the participants and fans enjoy the final on Sunday. We have some
surprises too for a range of people on the day. We are excited and optimistic
of a fantastic event.”
The
event is being sponsored by GAC Motors, a product of Guangzhou Automobile Group
Motor Company Limited and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The
President and Founder of the World Federation of Freestyle Football, Daniel
Wood, will be in attendance for the final of the first ever National Freestyle
Football Championship.
Nzewi
added: “Wood has confirmed to be here because many people are excited that
Nigeria is joining the big league of countries that have embraced freestyle
football.
“There
are other top officials of the world body coming for the event, and so we have
doubled our efforts to stage a great Grand Finale come Sunday in Lagos.”
Freestyle
football is the art of juggling a football using feet, knees, lower
legs, shoulders and the head, while simultaneously performing creative
moves, without the ball touching the ground.
A
former Super Eagles skipper, Nwankwo Kanu, is among the three judges to
officiate the final of the first ever National Freestyle Football Championship.
A
former European Champion, Daniel Mikolaj, who is regarded as one of the Top 8
freestyle football athletes in the world in the past five years, is the head of
the judges. Joel Asare, who is a two-time Ghanaian champion, will also be one
of the judges. Asare represented Ghana in Tokyo, Japan at the Red Bull Street
world finals 2013. Another football legend, Moses Amata, has been named to join
the judges’ team for the forthcoming National Freestyle Football Competition.
Thousands
of entries were received via the designated registration platform where
participants uploaded a 30-second video of themselves freestyling. These
video entries were subjected to a screening process by professional judges
after which 16 male and eight female freestyle footballers have emerged for the
July 23 finals.
The
winner of the championship will go home with a salon car courtesy of GAC Motors
with a million naira, and will represent Nigeria at the World Freestyle
Championship to be held in Czech Republic in August.
Slated
to perform at the event are renowned Nigerian performers including KCEE,
Timaya, Soma and SKIIBI
Tags
Society