Akaraonye, who is a former Nigerian international said the six-nation football showpiece with its theme Playing For Good under the Aisha Buhari Foundation’s Future Assured Programme, is a laudable project with the grain to further empower the girl-child, take her away from the streets and permanently shield her from anti-social vices.

“It’s a big honour being done to women and the girl-child in Nigeria and Africa by the First Lady of Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs) Aisha Buhari with the upcoming invitational tournament in Lagos, Nigeria.
“Mrs Aisha Buhari’s Future Assured Programme is all about the women and girl-child and this Aisha Buhari Cup is going to be a game-changer for the women and girl-child in Africa. I have to say this: the introduction of women football into our lives and Nigeria has helped a lot to take away the girl-child from the streets and other vices. Today we have educated ones among them still playing football and most of the women footballers are bread-winners of their respective families.
“I appeal to parents to see what the First Lady is doing in her foundation and the Aisha Buhari Cup as a wake-up call on them to allow their children especially the girl-child to participate in football and other sports. It will not stop them from studying or realising their conjugal obligations and other potentials,” said Akaraonye.

The Future Assured Programme (FAP) focuses on women and girl-child as well as vulnerable people like widows, orphans and the disabled across the country. The programme involves training for entrepreneurial skills and provision of starter packs, conditional and unconditional cash transfers and provision of business tools.
The Aisha Buhari Cup in honour of Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari will be played among Africa’s six powerhouse teams, namely hosts Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Mali and Morocco, 13th – 21st September in two stadia in Lagos: Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan and the ‘Soccer Temple’ Agege Stadium.

The Atlas Lionesses are drawn against Mali and Nigeria in Group A of the six-nation competition and the former Zaragoza star is excited about her team’s chance to test themselves against women’s football powerhouses in Africa.

“For us, it’s a good opportunity to know first, our level, what we should improve on and also the level of the teams that we may likely play at the Women Africa Cup of Nations,” El Haj, who recently helped ASFAR win the UNIAF Women’s Champions League title, told ABC Media.

“We play against Mali a lot of times, so we know each other. But it will be our first game with Nigeria and we know they are a big and strong team that always fight for titles.”

On their ultimate goal at the competition, the 26-year-old said: “Our ambition is to win this tournament and improve ourselves. 

“It will be a very exciting competition with big teams competing in it, thanks to everyone who organised this tournament.”

El Haj will aim to inspire the 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations hosts to success in Nigeria, who are the Cup holders and nine-time African champions.

Head Coach Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo has invited 30 players to the camp of the Black Queens in preparation for the maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament taking place in the City of Lagos, Nigeria 13th – 21st September 2021.

Ghana play in Group B of the tournament against Cameroon and South Africa. In the roster, there are 22 home–based professionals and eight foreign-based players, including team captain Elizabeth Addo and Grace Asentawaa of Spanish club, Real Betis.

THE FULL SQUAD
Fafali Dumehasi (Police Ladies), Kerrie McCarthy (Kumasi Sports Academy), Mary Neequaye (Immigration Ladies), Abigail Tawiah Mensah (Berry Ladies), Victoria Antwi-Agyei (Kumasi Sports Academy), Gladys Amfobea (Lady Strikers), Beatrice Sesu (Police Ladies), Jaqueline Asamoah (Kumasi Sport Academy), Ellen Coleman (Lady Strikers), Janet Egyir (Hasaacas Ladies)
Linda Eshun (Hasaacas Ladies), Janet Adu Agyemang (Fabulous Ladies), Philicity Asuako (Police Ladies), Nina Norshie (Berry Ladies) Justice Tweneboa (Ampem Darkoa Ladies), Mary Essiful (Soccer Intellectuals), Grace Adams (Berry Ladies), Henrietta Annie (Police Ladies), Monica Addai  (Berry Ladies), Rashida Ibrahim (Berry Ladies), Elizabeth Owusua (Sea Lions), Milot Pokua  (Hasaacas Ladies), Sophia Agyarkwa (Soccer Intellectuals), Vivian Adjei Konadu (Thunder Queens), Sonia Opoku (Ampem Darkoa Ladies), Veronica Appiah (Hasaacas Ladies), Naomi Animah (Kumasi Sports Academy)

Foreign-Based: Jennifer Cudjoe (Gotham FC), Grace Asentewaa (Real Betis Feminas), Wasila Diwura Soale (LSU), Elizabeth Addo (Djurgaden IF), Portia Boakye (Djurgaden IF), Eunice Beckman Nketiah (FC Cologne), Alice Kusi (ZFK Spartak), Priscilla Adubea (Racing Santander)

Former Super Falcons’ Head Coach, Eucharia Uche, has declared her support for the Aisha Buhari Cup, saying that with the tournament, future is assured for Nigerian women and the girl-child.

In an interview on Thursday, Uche, who led the Falcons at the 2011 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany, said the invitational tournament with the theme Playing For Good under the Futured Assured Programme of the Aisha Buhari Foundation, is a project capable of taking the Nigerian girl-child and the women folks generally to greater heights in all endeavours of life.

“I give kudos to Her Excellency the First Lady for putting her weight behind women football in Africa. We just pray that more positive support like this continue to come for the gender game. Women football has come to stay; there is no going back,” Eucharia said.

She added: “For the Future Assured Programme, this is the right step in the right direction, because over the years, women and the girl-child have been poorly treated and marginalised in Nigeria and in Africa. And for women football, you know that, most of the talented players are from very poor homes. These are the ones who were fortunate to be discovered to become in the long run club players, national team players and international stars, who ended up becoming the bread winners of their families and even legends in the game, while a large percentage of the girl-child who were not discovered to play football and other women sports, found themselves on the streets doing all sorts things we may not want to talk about here.

“If well propagated and messages disseminated across Nigeria and Africa during the invitational tournament, the days of seeing the girl-child stray into the streets unguided will soon be over. The girl-child and women can be put on the right pedestal early enough to discover their talents in various spheres of life, such that would make them useful to their families, Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. This is quite commendable by the First Lady.”

For the tournament proper, Eucharia admonished Nigerian players to take the competition serious, countenancing each match as the Final.

The buzz and excitement for the Dr Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament is gathering momentum, as the ever-passionate and vibrant Lagos fans eagerly look forward to welcoming the African Ladies to the City of Aquatic Splendour.

With the theme, Playing for Good, the visiting teams won’t be starved of support from the home crowd.

The pleasure of playing in Lagos is extreme. It is a place where fans are ever ready to switch their loyalty to any side that meets their football expectations.

“I will support the Mali team, even though I know that Nigeria will win the Cup,” says Emmanuella, a JSS 2 student of Birrel High School Sabo, Yaba. For her friends Bose and Ifeoluwa, both students of Onike Girls Secondary School, the Aisha Buhari Cup tournament will provide them the opportunity to see four – time African Woman Player of the Year winner, Asisat Oshoala.

“Most of our classmates talk about Asisat Oshoala; will she play? We will like to come and watch her play for Nigeria.” Emeka Ndidi, a shop owner at Shitta, Surulere, believes the rivalry among Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon is the spice that makes women football in the continent tick.

“You know the rivalry between Super Falcons and these other countries is a big one. It will be interesting to watch them and see if they can measure up to Nigeria.”

Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco and Mali are the teams expected to test might when the tournament takes place 13th – 21st September 2021.

Meanwhile, the Federation Malienne de Football has announced a provisional squad of 38 players of the country’s women A team for the Aisha Buhari Cup, with the players set to resume camping early this week.

Mali are ranked 9th in Africa and 84th in the world.

They will be joined at the 13th – 21st September tournament in the City of Lagos by hosts Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, South Africa and Cameroon.

MALI’S PROVISIONAL SQUAD:

Adoudou Konate Aissat Bengaly, Djouma Kamate, Oumou Kone, Aissata Sidibe, Hadiaratou Coulibaly, Nassoum Keita, Sarantou Traore, Maimouna Togola, Assetou Traore (Super Lionesses); Oumou Traore, Hawa Traore, Bassira Toure, Aicha Samake, Fatoumata Diarra (AS Mande); Fatim Bah, Zainab Sidibe, Fatoumata Konate, Fatou Dembele (Amazone CV); Fatouma Karentao, Oumou Toure, Oumou Tangara (USFAS); Awa Keita, Binta Diarra, Lala Dicko (AS Real); Maimouna Traore (AS Police); Aissata Traore (Guingamp); Aissata Diadhiou (FC RM Maison); Agaissa Diarra (CM Layoun); Coulouba Sogore (AJ Auxerre); Yakare Niakate (FC Malo); Kani Konte, Oumou Fofana (VGS Sain Maur); Haby Wande, Tiguida Diaby (AS Monaco); Tenin Sissoko (Fleury FC); Bintou Kone (Kenifra); Sebe Coulibaly (Yzeur)