All Nigerian Football Players Union Appoints New Patrons
By: Gyang Dakwo
The All Nigerian Football Players Union, ANFPU has appointed two sports philanthropists, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and Paul Edeh as Patrons of the Players’ Union.
The players’ union conferred a special award of excellence on both Mailantarki and Edeh for their commitment and contribution to sports, particularly football.
At an award ceremony in Abuja, President of the Union, Abdul Sule described both men as very important individuals to football and humanity.
Describing the recipients as well-meaning Nigerians that have shown love and care for the youths, Sule lauded the efforts of Mailantarki and Edeh whose commitment has empowered the youth and improved grassroots football.
“Our award recipients are very important persons in our society. They are men who spend their hard-earned resources to support the youths and they have been very successful.
“Take the example of Mailantarki, he has been doing this for years, he has been spending his money on the youths for years making sure that the players’ welfare is taken care of, making football very much easier for them. If others are doing part of what he is doing, we will harness the great talents we have in abundance.
“When we talk about Paul Edeh. He has been fantastic. He is taking care of young girls who had no hope and now he has given them hope and a future. He has done so much for those girls to make sure they become who they are supposed to be. The future is bright for them and their families are happy”, he said.
His words: “When someone gets a pat on the back for doing something, it’s an encouragement to do more. They are doing all this without government assistance and yet they have continued to forge ahead. It’s not because they are very rich but because they have the interest of the youth at heart. It’s very amazing.”
Khamisu Mailantarki is the financier of Mailtantarki FC that recently won both the Dana Cup in Denmark and the Norway Invitational Youth Cup. He is also known for various kinds of youth empowerment in Gombe State and the FCT.
Paul Edeh has a keen interest in developing the girl child and has been doing that through football. It was his love to give life and figure to girls that made him establish Naija Ratels and Honey Badgers Women’s Football Team. He has seen the team excelling well in Nigerian Women’s Football Leagues.
He is also the brain behind a pre-season tournament-tagged Ratels Cup.