Youth and Children’s Development
Football Talent Development
Creating opportunities for grassroots footballers to be seen
talent-hunt announcement
LGAs included
Talented young footballers live in communities where opportunities to demonstrate their abilities beyond local competitions can be limited. GIPSED’s Football Talent Hunt sought to address this gap by bringing football expertise closer to aspiring players.
The initiative targeted young footballers across Odo-Otin, Ifelodun and Boripe Local Government Areas of Osun State, with the aim of identifying talent and opening pathways towards professional football.
Football Talent Hunt with Emmanuel Babayaro
In 2014, GIPSED partnered with the Society for Positive Change (SPC) to organize the Football Talent Hunt with Emmanuel Babayaro.
The event was scheduled for 28 July to 2 August 2014, with venues at Odo-Otin Grammar School, Okuku, and selected football pitches in Ifelodun and Boripe.
The initiative brought Emmanuel Babayaro’s football experience into the participating communities, creating an opportunity for local players to showcase their skills.
The idea behind the programme
Announcing the initiative on 18 July 2014, Dr Michael Olugbile highlighted the football talent present in grassroots communities and the difficulty players can face in gaining access to professional opportunities.
The talent hunt was designed to help promising players gain visibility, with the ambition of connecting them to opportunities for identification and recruitment by licensed football agents.
Supporting young people through sport
The programme reflects GIPSED’s recognition that young people’s potential takes different forms. Alongside educational support, sport offers another avenue for developing talent and pursuing future opportunities.
By organizing activities across the three LGAs, the initiative sought to bring those opportunities closer to the communities where aspiring players lived.
The 2014 initiative at a glance
| Detail | Programme record |
|---|---|
| Event | Football Talent Hunt with Emmanuel Babayaro |
| Advertised dates | 28 July–2 August 2014 |
| Coverage | Odo-Otin, Ifelodun and Boripe LGAs |
| Venues | Odo-Otin Grammar School, Okuku, and selected pitches in Ifelodun and Boripe |
| Organizing partners | GIPSED and Society for Positive Change |
The talent hunt in pictures
The gallery will bring together the original event poster and photographs of the talent hunt. Captions will identify locations, activities and dates where documented.
Participation figures, player selections and subsequent opportunities will be added as the program records are confirmed.
From our communities
The programme in pictures