Newly promoted Nigerian Nationwide League One (NLO 1) side, Ikukuoma Football Club (FC) of Imo, said on Tuesday that it would work assiduously to secure a slot in the Nigerian National League (NNL) in no distant time.
The club’s President, High Chief Summers Nwokie, said this while addressing newsmen in Owerri, after the team’s promotion to the NLO 1.
The Ikukuoma FC picked a ticket to compete in the NLO 1 new football season after they defeated Ozalla Football Academy of Anambra, 1-0 on July 21 at the Awka City Stadium.
A 48th minute strike by Samuel Chiedozie, his third of the season from five games, turned out to be all the team needed to secure the ticket.
Nwokie, an international businessman, commended the players, coaching staff and entire team for putting their hands on deck to secure the promotion.
He added that the team would concentrate on securing promotion from the NLO 1 to the NNL next season.
“It is a thing of great joy that the team is being promoted to the NLO 1; we dedicate this victory to God and we thank everyone in the club for making this dream a reality.
“But we will not stop here, we will continue to provide logistics and other forms of support to ensure that our next target, which is promotion to the NNL, is achieved,” he said.
He said that plans have been concluded to expand the club with the establishment of a football academy to enable players to combine regular basic education with football.
“We are establishing a football academy using the Ikukuoma Sports Development Foundation which houses the Ikukuoma FC and we intend to sponsor promising upcoming talents.
“We have already acquired 22 plots of land for a stadium, and we are doing everything possible to ensure that our players are comfortable and well equipped to compete at any level,” he said.
Also speaking, the club’s Coordinator, Chuks Dike, lauded Nwokie’s commitment and support to the success of the club.
“We are grateful to our president and we promise not to disappoint him. We have a destination and we will get there together,” he said.
Julius Nnaji, Director-General of the club, said the decision to establish a football academy was borne out of a sincere desire to give young football talents the opportunity to excel in football.
Nnaji urged the players not to relent in pursuing their dreams.