In a bid to compliment the efforts of the Lagos State Football Association to help discover, nurture and develop grassroots women’s football through the Eko Football Initiative, Ratels Sports Development Foundation on Sunday donated 7 sets of football Jerseys to seven WAFA teams in Lagos.

Presenting the sets of customized Jerseys to the teams at the Radisson Blu Hotel Ikeja, Lagos. Ratels Sports Development Foundation President, Barrister Paul Edeh noted that the donation was intended to support, motivate the grassroots teams and as well compliment the great policy of women football in Lagos, under the leadership of NFF first Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi.

The Legal Luminary cum Philanthropist further explained that his love for the girl-child and grassroots women football prompted his decision to give a lending hand to seven WAFA teams.

‘I have always been a great supporter of grassroots women football and that is why we donated these set of Jerseys today through the Ratels Sports Development Foundation.

‘This is mainly to encourage these teams and help them focus more on their growth as a team, because the future of women’s football belongs to the grassroots.

‘Furthermore, a WAFA team will get the chance of participating at the upcoming Flying Officers Cup next month in Abuja. This is to promote the talent in WAFA and also give more non-league teams to challenge with the top teams in the country.

Receiving the items on behalf of the teams, an elated WAFA President, Prince Ganiu Adetunji thanked Barrister Paul Edeh for his gesture towards the progress of WAFA, Women’s football and the girl-child as a whole.

The owner of Phoenix FC described the President of Ratels Sports Development Foundation as a great Philanthropist and one who gives hope to women football in Nigeria, and called on other well meaning women football lovers to emulate his disposition by contributing to the development of women football in the country and beyond.

‘We have never experienced this kind of donation since the inception of WAFA, we are grateful and hope we can have more people like you in the country.

‘This is huge and will further give us the strength to continue developing more great players in the future. I am more than glad today as the President of WAFA because a team or two will be playing at the prestigious Flying Officers Pre-season Championship. For me, it is a great achievement and we would give in our best at the competition.” He Concluded.

The Ratels Sports Development Foundation is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), founded by UN- SDG Peace Ambassador, Barrister Paul Edeh to basically empower and create a positive environment for youths and the girl-child to prosper in their chosen career.

Ratels Sports Foundation has partnered with the organisers of the Most Gorgeous Girl Nigeria (MGGN) to host a mini Women Football tournament commemorating the first edition of the beauty pageant which will hold in Abuja.

The Chief Executive Officer of The Most Gorgeous Girl Nigeria (MGGN), Grace Ene disclosed this on Monday during a world press conference in Abuja to flag off the maiden edition of the National beauty pageant.

Miss Ene noted that Ratel Sports Foundation, founded by Legal Luminary, Barrister Paul Edeh has agreed to partner with the initiative through the Mini Football tournament in Abuja, which will in turn bring more awareness and hope for the girl-child.

“We are glad about this initiative and partnering with one of the leading Sports Foundation in the country, Ratels Sports Development Foundation.

“Through this event, we have been able to share the belief that the girl-child deserve more in our community and with Ratels Sports Development Foundation coming to support us with the Mini Women Football tournament, we are hopeful that it will create more love and awareness across all quarters.

Reacting, the Chairman and founder of Ratels Sports Development Foundation, Barrister Paul Edeh disclosed that the love for the girl-child prompt his organisation to support the beauty pageant and mini Women Football tournament.

“The girl-child deserve all the love and affection from people around them. They deserve to be confident and believe in themselves.

“MGGN is an opportunity to demonstrate at a National and Global level that there are no intercultural barriers. It promises to bring people together from all the nooks and crannies of this country and beyond.

“We hope our partnership with the organisers of the MGGN will help raise a formidable voice for the girl-child and make a meaningful impact in their lives.” He concluded.

The Most Gorgeous Girl Nigeria (MGGN) is a celebration of youth and empowerment, an important way to convey the true meaning of beauty and the empowerment of all women and girl-child.

Over One million Naira was raised as Ratel Sports Foundation and Sports Writers Association Of Nigeria (SWAN) joined forces in a novelty match in Abuja to campaign in support of the ‘Girl Child School Campaign’.

In a continuous effort to raise awareness on the need to tackle illiteracy, poverty, discrimination amongst the girl child, Ratel Sports Foundation, a non Governmental Organization formed by Legal Luminary, Barrister Paul Edeh decided to hold a fundraising novelty match to give hope to the common girl child, who have been deprived of education.

In an entertaining encounter, which ended in a 2-2 draw, Naija Ratels scored first in the 20th minute through midfielder Emmanuel Blessing, before Olawale Ayeni of Leadership Newspaper equalized few minutes later.

In the second half, Tobi Sangotola of Voice of Nigeria put SWAN ahead in the 46th minute but, a well-tailored cross by Animashaun Aishat gave Adenike Olonilua the chance to dab the ball into the net to earn Ratels a deserved comeback.

Speaking after the game, the Convener of the fundraising Match, Barrister Paul Edeh underlined that children all over the world, have the right to education.

The United Nations SDG Peace Ambassador stressed that educating girls is key to ending poverty in the world, noting that Ratels Sports Foundation and Naija Ratels as a club has contributed immensely to the well-being of the Girl-Child through various programmes and initiatives.

“The idea of forming Naija Ratels in the first place was not mainly to have a Women football club but to make a mark in giving back to the girl child.

“We realized that not all of them can be lawyers, not all can go to school or have a formal education. So, we thought that a football club would be an avenue for them to express their God-given talents.

“Today, we are here to highlight the need to educate the girl child. That is why we are playing this match against FCT SWAN,” Edeh said.

“The girl child deserve better and am glad that we have been able to raise well over a million Naira through this campaign and this money will be used to give scholarships to indigent girls who can’t afford to go to school.”

On his part, Ndubueze Chidoka, FCT SWAN chairman appreciated the efforts of the foundation while encouraging members to engage in sporting activities.

“It is good for us to keep fit and take our health seriously, by doing exercises. Members here are happy and many of them are already asking me when we can have another event like this.

“We appreciate Ratels Sports Foundation for this kind of project and we as a body are glad that money has been raised for the girl child education through this initiative.”

The President of Naija Ratels Football Club, Edeh, also donated the sum of N50,000 in cash to the association as part of its support for the burial of the late Segun Ogunjimi of the Nation Newspaper, who was a highly resourceful, humble and dilligent sports journalist and further promised that the foundation has pledged to host a novelty match in honour of him.

In a bid to sensitize and create awareness against poverty, discrimination and exploitations which has seen many girls drop out of school, Ratels Sports Foundation has collaborated with the Sports Writers Association Of Nigeria (SWAN), Abuja Branch on a fund raising Football novelty match to support and advocate for the education of the girl child.

The fundraising Novelty Match which will hold on Saturday, the 20th of February 2021 at the Area 3 Sports Complex, Abuja, will attract huge numbers of philanthropists who have seen reasons to support Ratels Sports Foundation and Barrister Paul Edeh in his quest to make life better for the girl child.

Ratels Sports Foundation having staged a similar exercise last week, which was themed: “Kick Against Gender Based Violence” has gone further to help create an avenue to give the girl child hope on education, with the “Support The Girl Child School Campaign” initiative. Members of the Abuja Sports Writers Association Of Nigeria (SWAN) and Naija Ratels FC will tackle each other on the pitch to highlight the sensitivity on the initiative.

The convener of the event and President of Ratels Sports Foundation, Barrister Paul Edeh said the organisation decided to organize the novelty match with SWAN, with a view to put an end to many barriers facing the girl child education.

“Everyday, girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural practices, poor infrastructure, violence and more. Reason why we are collaborating with SWAN, Civil society organisation, the private sector, donors to overcome these challenges through the novelty match.

“Girls education goes beyond getting girls into school. It is also about ensuring that girls learn and feel safe in school and have the opportunity to complete all levels of education, acquiring the knowledge and skills to compete in the labour market.

“We believe in our ability as a body to make meaningful impacts through our various programmes and hopefully we can change the world in our own little way by ensuring there is a great turn around in the enrollment of the girl child in school.” He concluded.

Top Sports firm, Ratels Sports Foundation have been unveiled as the new title sponsor of the Benue State Football League which will kick off in the first week of March.

In a press conference held at the Benue Hotels and resort, Markudi, on Friday evening, the Chairperson of the Benue State Football Association, Mrs Margaret Icheen noted that Ratels Sports Foundation, a sports firm owned by Barrister Paul Edeh has agreed to solely sponsor the 2021 State League, which will now be known as the “Ratels Benue State Football League”.

The top football administrator and former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly stated that the partnership between the Benue State F.A and Ratels Sports Foundation will definitely help the tournament get new audiences than ever before.

“We know Barrister Paul Edeh as a lover of Football, especially women’s football which he has been supporting from his heart.

“We are glad that his company, Ratels Sports Foundation has decided to be the sole sponsors of the 2021 Benue State Football League, which of course we know he did because of the love of football he has inside of him.

The Nigeria Women Football League board member further went on to say that the league will kick-off in the first week of March and the top team will participate at the Nigeria Nationwide League (NLO).

“The league will kick off in the first week of March and registration of clubs across the state is on, and the team that comes top will play at the NLO.

She finally stated “We want to thank you for providing all we need to make this competition a success and we hope we can rely on you and your firm for more partnership.

In his thoughts, the Chairman of Ratels Sports Foundation and President of Naija Ratels Football Club, Barrister Paul Edeh heaped praises on the leadership qualities of the Benue State Football Association boss.

The United Nations SDG Peace Ambassador noted that the sponsorship of the state Football League is a response to the repeated call of his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom on the private sector partnering with him to develop the state from all quarters.

“We are proud to be the title sponsor of this tournament and look forward to a long-term partnership, ” The legal luminary said.

“We didn’t hesitate when the proposal of sponsoring the state league came to us, I am from Benue state and I have been longing and craving to partner with the leadership of the state F.A.

“I forayed into sponsoring sports several years ago and recently this competition, after I discovered that sports, especially the game of football is one of the key veritable tools and factors in uniting people.

“Moreso in the face of the repeated challenges that the state has been facing, such as the various attacks by the herdsmen and other communal clashes ravaging our community, definitely the game of football is one of the tools we can use to heal the wounds.

The Sports philanthropist also donated 42 premium balls for the success of the competition, stressing the need for more development in grassroots football in Benue State and Nigeria as a whole.

“We are sponsoring the league in line with the budget proposal 100%. It may interest you to know that Ratels Sports Foundation have an existing partnership with Zenith Sports, owners of Haggai Sportswear, last year we won the best brand team of Haggai, which means that there was no team that patronised the Sports kit company more than us.

“The biggest women football Pre-season Championship in Africa, the Flying Officers Cup was also sponsored by Ratels Sports Foundation, which was successfully executed and received great commendations across the globe.

“This year, our vision, desire and dream in Ratels Sports Foundation is to reach out to the grassroots, because that is one of the sectors that has been neglected both by the state and federal government. We will do more to climb the ladder of time and also ensure that we further strengthen our partnership after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Finally, we want to pledge our loyalty and supports to the chairperson of the Benue State F.A, Mrs Margaret Icheen, and most especially, we are endeared to you because you are the only female chairperson in the whole of the federation.” He concluded.

This year’s Benue State Football League is expected to be the biggest ever with over 40 teams participating and is scheduled to take place at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi starting from the first week of March. Fixtures will be released soon after the draws.