Olympique Marseille of France Chief Scout for Africa, Omar Sciola, has arrived in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, North Central Nigeria for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s 1st (AA) Talent Hunt football programme.
Sciola who arrived on Monday was received by the programme’s Coordinator, Bashir Badawiy and the Chairman of the Kwara Football Association, Malam Idris Musa at the Ilorin International Airport.
The former Manchester United, Monaco and AC Milan of Italy Chief Scout later took a tour of the Alhaji Usman Mustapha Football House, where he described what he saw as ‘world class.’
He was later conducted round the Main Bowl of the Kwara Stadium Complex, Ilorin where the scouting programme will take place .
The Kwara Stadium Manager, Wale Obalola, accompanied by Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC, Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka, took Sciola round the stadium.
Obalola explained to Sciola that ”the facility can simultaneously host many sporting events at the same time.”
The Olympique Marseille Africa Chief Scout, said ”he was impressed with what was on ground and hoped for a hitch-free scouting programme.”
On the part of Badawiy, the programme was introduced to appreciate the contributions of the State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to the development of youth and sports.
“The exercise is all about the youth, as we plan to discover talents from the nooks and crannies of the state, which is in line with the policy thrust of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
“It is being staged to also honour a sport loving Governor, for lifting sports in the state, especially from the grassroots, as well as the renovation, modernisation and construction of new sports infrastructure in the state,” he said.
Mercy Chukwudiebere