Leading financial institution, Moniepoint yesterday at their head office on Victoria Island, unveiled the maiden edition of Moneiball football 5-A-Side for universities in Nigeria.

As a pilot edition, eight schools which are University of Ilorin, University of Uyo, Abia State University, University of Calabar, Adekunle Ajasin University, University of Ibadan, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Federal University and Federal University, Oye Ekiti, would be competiting in a round robin games.

According to the organisers, the top two universities from the two groups would progress to the final.

According to Head of Brand, Anastacia Igbokidi; Monieball 5-A-Side Competition is Moniepoint’s own contribution to the development of sports in Nigeria.

“We want to take football as our key platform, and so we’re starting out. We started with the partnership with Victor Osimen, because he inspires a lot of young  Nigerians. He inspires with his story. And then we’re coming with the our own five- aside tournament. We also have something that will be unveiling in a few days,” Anastacia said.

She indeed said, Osimhen would have loved to be present during the kickoff of the competition which is slated for October 8, at UNILORIN but for the European football season, which is just starting.

“Currently the European football season is still very much, but we’re working on something. We’re currently at the  beginning of  European football season, although, as we know, in the last match, Osimhen was injured, but thank God he’s back in training.

He’s very, very excited about this competition. He asked us if there’s a way we could postpone the kickoff date so that he could be present, but it has to be concluded before the examination which is fast approaching.

“But he’s very excited about it and he has a lot of goodwill messages for the young people, and we’ll be rolling those out as the as we go on. But yes, of course, Osimhen is very passionate about Nigerians and about the young football players. He definitely wants people that will be able to replace him,” Anastasia noted.

Meanwhile, Nigeria University Games, NUGA, Technical Chairman, Professor Musa Garba Yakasai, assured that officiating will be top notch, saying that the referees will not be partial.”All the participating officials have been well screened and they are all from the NUGA Referees Association,” Yakasai said.

On his part, CEO at Perform Agency, Olamide Adeyemo promised that participating students would be all under the age of 25 years and adequate security has been put in place to ensure a hitch free competition.

Just had he promised that on the final day of the competition, officials and scouts from the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, would be present to scout for players.