What started as an idea muted has now manifested into a concrete and unique national and global pride. Mailantarki Care Sports Academy is a brainchild of Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki.
Perturbed by poor presence of soccer talents from Northern Nigeria in top European leagues and Nigerian national team, Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki undertakes the journey to find out the “why” of this and the “how” to remedy it.
Today, contemporarily, sports, especially soccer, are one of the most potent instruments in the hands of governments for youth empowerment and supports. The importance of sport in attaining sustainable development objectives therefore, cannot be overrated.
As for the “why” question, Hon Khamisu discovered that Lack of adequate investment and commitment in sport by business men and politicians of Northern extraction, and lack of support for the northern soccer talents from non-governmental organizations and civil societies has created a wide gap between the Northern and Southern part of the country in terms of opportunities for player promotion and transfer to Europe, Asia, Americas and other part of the globe.
As for the question of “how” to remedy the situation, he discovered that resources and time commitments, coupled with effective synergy and collaboration with stakeholders and experts, using the right mechanism and tools, are necessary panacea.
Therefore, the zeal to bridge aforementioned gaps gave birth to Mailantarki Care Sports Academy.
Mailantarki Care Sports Academy is still in its embryo stage, just a little more than a year old. The project started from the home town of the CEO, Gombe. Hon. Khamisu Mailantarki has never made hidden his attachment with and unreserved love for his dares state and its people, and his anxiousness to bring whatever good project to develop his town and people.
This therefore, informed why, despite advices from various quarters to start the project in places like Lagos and Abuja, Mailantarki turned down these advices and situated it in Gombe. Players were scouted from all corners and corridors of eleven LGAs that make up Gombe state, and neighbouring Northern states. A Y Guest House Hotel, located at Tashan Dukku, Kano Road was the first camp for the selected players. More than 100 players were invited by various agents and Football managers to participate in the screening exercise.
Transport, Medicare, feeding and kits were all provided for the teeming players. Coaches and trainers were engaged for the exercise, most of whom are professionals.
This was a brief history of the beginning of a journey for youth emancipation. A journey of national youth empowerment by a determined, selfless, patriotic, courageous and visionary personality, Mailantarki.
As at today, Mailantarki Care Sports Academy is the youngest among greater percentage of football academies in the country, but its foundational base surpassed most of its older counterparts.
In terms of global connections and recognition, the outfit is in collaboration with internationally recognized soccer conglomerates such as Propel Sports of Basil Kabbani, Paul Dickson and Shane Yate. Propel sports are agents to big European clubs such as Manchester United and Manchester City. Late last year the whole management of Propel Sports was in Gombe courtesy of Hon. Khamisu Mailantarki, to scout and promote players indigenes of Gombe, and Northern Nigeria. The first experience of European scouting programme the whole region has ever recorded.
Mailantarki Care Sports is in collaboration with the popular GestiFute Company of Portugal owned by the ‘”Super Agent” George Mendez. Everyone knows Mendez. A manager to Christiano Ronaldo, De Gea, James Rodriguez, etc. Mendez, in collaboration with Ikene of Remo Stars and Mailantarki Care Sports, sponsored a scouting tournament late last year at Ikene-Remo Stadium, Ogun state. The tournament offers playing opportunity to many soccer talents in many clubs abroad. International Football Academy (IFA Germany), is a globally recognized football academy located in Bern, Germany. Thomas Kastler is the CEO and Jorn Verleger the Managing Director. Mailantarki Care Sports is not only in collaboration with IFA Germany, but has co-sponsored a soccer talent scouting tourney at Abuja Nigeria last year December. Many talents were discovered and processed for trials abroad. Mailantarki Care has collaborated with Dreamland Hungarian Embassy to co-organize the 8th edition of the embassy’s annual tourney in Abuja.
