The city of Lagos is bound to come reverberate on Sunday, February 28, as top Nigerian celebrities take to the football pitch to support the fight against human trafficking.
Billed to hold at the Campos Square Stadium, Lagos Island, Lagos, movie star Richard Mofe Damijo, popularly called RMD, will lead 11 other stars to square up against former Super Eagles striker and captain, Kanu Nwankwo’s team.
Former Super Eagles coaches, Shaibu Amodu and Christian Chukwu, will coach Team Kanu Nwankwo and Team RMD respectively while actresses Ireti Doyle and Apostle Eucharia Anunobi will each play five penalties to determine the winners at the end of the day. The initiative, a project of Next2None support group, is tagged ‘Africa, My Africa Walk Against Human Trafficking Legendary/Celebrity Football Match.” Owerri, Imo State capital will play host to the stars after Lagos, followed by Accra, Ghana which holds later this year.
Announcing the event to newsmen in Lagos, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, SAN, who delivered the keynote address called on all to join hands in the fight against human trafficking even as he described the menace as “the biggest social menace in the world today. It is a global trade in human beings, whether for forced labour or sexual exploitation. It is estimated that between 12 million and 27 million people are enslaved around the world and the biggest chunk of this trade emanate from Africa, Nigeria strongly inclusive. The reality is that the abolishment of slavery only abolished the process. There are more slaves today in the world than at any other point in human history. More processes for dealing in slavery have also emerged,” Ojukwu said.
Barrister Ndukwe Sam Obu, Founder/Chairman BoT of Next2None support initiative, said “I want to inform all that after the Lagos and Imo events, the capital city of Ghana, Accra is ready to play host to an array of African stars as they march in solidarity against the social menace of human trafficking. The African ambassadors will also play a charity football match at the Accra Stadium after the morning match.
“As I speak, about 100 African celebrities from the movies, sports, comedy, religion, music among others, have been contacted to be part of the project. They are: Senator George Opon Weah, Ambassador Roger Milla, Lucas Radebe, Gen Lanre Apata (RTD),Chief Awa U Kalu (SAN),Rear Admiral Peter Ebeleheme (Rtd), Major Gen Yakubu Usman(Rtd), Prof Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), Rev Biodun Fatoyinbo (Minister-in-Charge COZA),Pastor Mrs. Modele Fatoyinbo (COZA), John Fashanu, Rachel Bakam, Chief Acho Ukaha and Hajia Titi Abubakar. Others are, Christian Chukwu, Hajia Laradan Shuaibu, Keppy Ekpeyong, Zack Orji, Coach Samson Siasia, Juliet Ibrahim among others.
