It was a great moment in the life of businessman and proprietor of the defunct Obanta United and Vigilant Insurance Professionals, Chief Adewale Teluwo, as some of the players and individuals that passed through him poured encomiums on him as he mark his birthday on Sunday with a novelty match at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
According to former national U–17 coach, Fanny Amun, Chief Teluwo is a blessing to the country as he prayed for more life and good health.
“Years back when he was investing in football, he was one of the few that was not looking for something in return, just to make life easy for the players,” he said.
“We all learnt a lot from him and that has shaped our life till today. He is someone that doesn’t have a secret or hold back when it has to do with investment in football even when he is not going to get anything back.”
Former Super Eagles player, Godwin Okpara, said Chief Teluwo was not just a club owner but a father to all of them and they were happy to come together to honour him.
Okpara who captained IbukunOluwa FC to a win over old players of Stationary Stores was moved to tears while describing Chief Teluwo who he said took over his education after secondary school.
The coordinator of the novelty match in honour of the great club owner, Senior Special Adviser to Lagos State governor on sports, Adeboye Adeyinka, said they decided to come up with the idea of the novelty game so as to remember his contributions to football development in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
While appreciating everyone involved in the novelty game, Chief Teluwo, flanked by his wife, announced the donation of N1m to the two teams that played the novelty match as he also announced his support for the annual competition in his honour starting from 2024.
According to him, talents discovered from the youth cadre of the annual competition will be supported to actualise their dream of becoming super stars.
In the novelty match, players from all the three clubs that Chief Teluwo founded, IbukunOluwa FC, Obanta United and Verobim, all played under the name IbukunOluwa FC with Tosin Otubanjo, the only woman in the team while old players of Stationary Stores were led by their captain, Taiwo Oloyede.
The game ended 2-2 after regulation time with Yinka Kelvin in goal for IbukunOluwa FC emerging the hero after saving two penalties as his side ran away with a 4-2 win.
The two giant trophies presented on Sunday will now be completed annually by youth clubs in the country.
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