Posted on: 07:14 Mon, 22 Feb 2016



Lagos State Governor, Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday
welcomed the decision of Barcelona
Football Club (FC) of Spain to
establish its first Football Academy
in Africa in Lagos, just as he
pledged the maximum support of
the government in ensuring the
successful take off of the project.

Governor Ambode, who spoke at
the Lagos House in Ikeja while
receiving senior management staff
of the football club, said he was
delighted with the development, as
it was in sync with his
administration’s philosophy for
sports development.

The Governor, who reiterated the
importance of sports to integration
and development, said that sport
was the future of service to create a
platform for youth employment and
youth engagement in Lagos.

Earlier, Pau Vilanova i Vila-Abadal,
Director of Business and Member of
FC Barcelona Management Board,
who led the team to the State
House, thanked Governor Ambode
for the support given to them so far
in actualizing the project.

He said FC Barcelona decided to
establish its Academy in Lagos due
to the impressive population of the
state, and the opportunity to share
the philosophy of the team with the
state.

On his part, Oscar Grau, Worldwide
Director of Barcelona Academy,
said it was indeed a big honour for
the club to establish its Academy in
Lagos, as many of the big names in
the team started from such
Academy.

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