By Andrew Abah, Abuja
A renowned football promoter and philanthropist, Mr. Nureni Makanjuola, Chairman of Water Football Club, was among recipients of prestigious award from the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on October 31, 2025, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to sports development in Nigeria.
At a ceremony held at the VIP Lounge of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Mr. Nureni Makanjuola was honoured with SWAN Distinguished Service Award (SDSA) by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria. The event was part of a week-long celebration marking SWAN’s 60th Anniversary, with the theme “The Power of Sports Media: Honouring Its Legacy, Shaping The Future.
Speaking to sports journalists after receiving the award, Makanjuola, popularly known as “MK”, expressed his delight at the recognition, thanking God for the opportunity to contribute to sports development, particularly in football.
In his words: “I feel happy, I feel good, you know because we have been doing it and nobody recognized us but thank God that SWAN recognises people like us. I thank God because it is a privilege.
“You have been following me for many years and seen the work we do, I promise that by God’s grace we shall do more.
“I feel happy. I am happy to be recognized by SWAN.
“You have been following me for many years and seen the work we do, I promise by God’s grace we shall do more.
“We were doing it before. They didn’t recognize us, and now that we can see that people recognize us, it gives me hope and it will motivate me to do more.
“Therefore, it will boost me to do more in terms of sport development for the benefit of the youth in Nigeria.
“It is a source of motivation for me and to my supporters,” Makanjuola added.
It would be racalled that Nureni, founder of Water FC Academy, has developed and sponsored numerous young talents who have gone on to represent Nigeria’s national teams and play professional football in various clubs across Africa and Europe.
