By Ado Salisu
Former Super Eagles captain and Milo Ambassador, Ahmed Musa MON, has pledged personal cash rewards of ₦1.8 million for the top three teams at the ongoing Milo Under-13 Football Tournament in Kano State.
The final of the championship is scheduled to take place on Thursday at the Ahmed Musa Sports Arena, Kano, where the young footballers will battle for honours in what is expected to be an exciting climax to the competition.
Under his personal reward scheme, Musa will present ₦1 million to the champions, ₦500,000 to the runners-up and ₦300,000 to the third-placed team, bringing his total commitment to ₦1.8 million.
The tournament’s sponsor, Nestlé Milo, has also provided additional prize money of ₦500,000 for the winners, ₦300,000 for the runners-up and ₦200,000 for the third-placed team.
The combined financial rewards underline the growing emphasis on encouraging young football talents and strengthening grassroots sports development.
Speaking ahead of the final, Musa, who previously served as General Manager and player of Kano Pillars Football Club, said his decision to support the competition was driven by the need to revive school sports and create opportunities for young talents to develop their footballing abilities.
According to him, sustained investment in school and grassroots competitions is critical to discovering the next generation of Nigerian football stars.
He stressed that greater involvement of corporate organisations in grassroots sporting competitions would enhance the identification and development of young players capable of representing Nigeria at national and international levels.
“God has blessed Nigeria with abundant, skilful and talented players who need encouragement and support to project the image of the country,” Musa said.
The former national team captain commended Nestlé Milo for its continued commitment to grassroots football and urged other corporate organisations to emulate the company’s investment in youth sports.
The tournament has featured 16 football teams, with the participating young players competing for the opportunity to emerge as champions and take home attractive prizes.
Beyond the financial rewards, the competition is expected to provide the young footballers with valuable exposure and competitive experience at an important stage of their development.
The closing ceremony is expected to attract prominent personalities from the sporting and corporate sectors, including Milo Category Manager, Gilbert Teenaboah Koduah, and the company’s Sports Marketing Manager, Mrs. Funmilola Oyewole, among other dignitaries.
With Musa’s intervention adding further incentives to the championship, the final promises to be more than a contest for a trophy. It is also a celebration of youth talent, school sports and the growing campaign to rebuild Nigeria’s football development pipeline from the grassroots.
