Kaduna State government has lauded Mango Foundation Basketball 80-Man Camp where no fewer than 120 young players displayed their talents and top 50 subsequently selected, with 20 of them bagged scholarships.
The commissioner for sports development, Professor Ben Gugong, gave the commendation in his remarks, saying it was a well organized camp and urged the organisers to sustain hosting the camp.
While assuring the state government readiness to partner the organisers in the subsequent edition, Prof Gugong described the scholarships given to some selected players as a noble gesture, adding that the state will activate the sports scholarship.
“I want to assure you that with what we are seeing here, we will start preparations ahead of the next National Sports Festival (NSF).
The Mango Foundation Camp designed to empower young basketball talent nationwide was staged in Kaduna from September 19th to 21st.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the foundation, Shaka Yusuf, while addressing journalists on the sideline of the camp, said he worked hard to put food on the table of the kids which he said it’s bigger than life itself.
“We are glad to be here to change the way of living for these kids, I was like these kids years ago, it is a great honour to know that I was able to come back and help these kids, just seeing them smile is an amazing thing. Life couldn’t be better than what it is today. Am here to make sure as a Nigerian to help my people, I am back home to help my people, and it’s not bigger than that.
“I believe in community development and that is what I am about without being politicized. Going forward the expectations for these kids is to be able to secure local and possible foreign scholarships for them. We are trying to make the United States embassy understand that as Nigerians you shouldn’t be desperate to go overseas, we can build our homes if we put our heads together.
“If you can think and understand what it takes to be successful, then the expectation for these kids should be nothing but scholarship, they deserve at least to go to school. One of my goals is to secure 20 scholarships for these kids,” he stressed.
On his part, Coach James Fungeing said: “It’s an 80-man camp from where the best 50 will be picked, some will get international and national scholarships.
“Mango Foundation is about empowering the kids, the CEO has taken it upon himself to ensure that it will be an annual event. Some have prospects for international schools. Those here, we will get them admission in polytechnics and universities in Nigeria.
The foundation aims at empowering players here in Nigeria, We were expecting 80 players, but we got up to 120 at the camp.”
