Nigerian legend to visit flood victims

Nigerian football legend Yakubu Ayegbeni is expected to jet into the country today to inspect sports facilities affected by Cyclone Idae in Nsanje and Chikwawa districts.

During the visits the former Nigerian’s Super Eagles striker, who is the only African player to score a Champions League hat-trick on debut, will assess the damage caused by the cyclone on football structures and recommend to Fifa for action under world football governing body’s Foundation programme.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions and media manager Gomezgani Zakazaka said Yakubu will tomorrow visit Nsanje Community Ground which has been turned into a camp.

“Basically, Yakubu and other Fifa officials are coming to Malawi to inspect the affected areas, in particular, the Lower Shire. He will be in Chikwawa and  Nsanje on Friday to see how the floods affected sports infrastructures. Upon their assessment, they will see how best Fifa can help to ensure the sports infrastructures are renovated.

“They were in Mozambique over the weekend where they also visited areas affected by the cyclone, especially in Beira. From Malawi, they will proceed to Zimbabwe. We believe after the visit, they will come back and help renovate the structures,” he said.

Zakazaka said during the visit, the Nigerian legend will interact with children at Nsanje Community Ground where he will conduct some football clinics and donate football equipment.

Established in March 2018, the Fifa Foundation was created as an independent entity to help promote positive social change around the world and raise support for the recovery and reconstruction of damaged or destroyed sports infrastructure worldwide.

These social responsibility goals are overseen by the Fifa Foundation Board, which is led by the Fifa president Gianni Infantino.