Asisat OshoalaAOA

Oshoala: Nigeria and Barcelona striker on launching her football academy for girls

Nigeria international and Barcelona striker Asisat Oshoala has launched the Asisat Oshoala Academy in Lagos, Nigeria.

The football conservatoire established in partnership with kitting outfit Nike and Women Win is intended to provide access to sport and education for young girls in her community.

“I have always strived to give back to the girl child in my community and I believe this football academy will provide opportunities for more girls to excel through the combination of sport and education,” Oshoala told GOAL.

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“I want to thank our partners Women Win and Nike for helping bring this platform to life. Together we can go further and achieve a lot more.”

The Asisat Oshoala Foundation set up in 2015, will be responsible for the daily management of the football outfit.
Amsterdam-based Women Win will also bring their expertise to the academy’s development.

“Women Win is very proud and excited to be partnering with our long-time partner Nike, Asisat and the Asisat Oshoala Academy to leverage the power of sport to support girls in Nigeria to become better equipped to exercise their rights,” stated Brands Director Yvonne Henry.

“This partnership and program will be key in ensuring girls can thrive as they face the most pressing issues of adolescence and realise their inherent leadership potential.”

Oshoala Academy will provide 30 girls between the ages of 12 to 18 with access to 90 minutes of football training three times a week.

It will also be complemented with life skills education covering a range of empowerment and rights-based topics.

Graduates from this academy will be encouraged to convert their leadership skills to make a positive impact in their respective communities.

Four-time Africa Women’s Player of the Year Oshoala was recently named as part of the Fifa technical advisory group for the advancement of women’s football.

Following the announcement, she revealed what her roles would be and what she intends to achieve, having found a ‘bigger platform’ where her voice will be heard.

“As a young player growing up, I went through a lot of things because of my environment regarding women’s football,” the 27-year-old told GOAL.

“I have always been a person who likes to make things right which was why I set up my foundation as well without being noticed.

“I am really happy to be a part of this technical group, I am really happy to share my ideas and what I feel is happening in Africa as it concerns football.

“At the end of the day, it is to bring forward the errors and what is making us stay back with the ambition of making things better. The goal is to make African football get to the next level.”

Most probably the greatest African women’s footballer of all time owing to her trophy-laden career, Oshoala who represented Liverpool and Arsenal, has been an exponent of empowering girls' football in Africa.

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