The Nigeria Football Supporters Club have concluded plans to storm the Garden City of Port Harcourt, for the Joseph Yobo testimonial game coming up tomorrow. According to the Secretary – General of the NFSC, Rev. Sam lkpea, the presence of the world renowned football band would add excitement and glamour.
“We are storming Port Harcourt in large numbers to show our love and support to the former captain of our national team, Joseph Yobo, who served this country meritoriously for several years, “Ikpea disclosed.
“We shall be there in large numbers and with the full complement of our trumpeters, drummers and singers. You know, nothing is too much to celebrate this patriotic Nigerian,” the amiable NFSC scribe added.
The presence of the supporters club, many believe would definitely add spices of fun and excitement to what is expected to be a carnival like atmosphere tomorrow at the garden city.
The Honorable Minister for Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung has thrown his weight behind the Joseph Yobo Testimonial and Centenary match coming up this Friday, May 27, 2016 at the Adokie Amesiemeka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
Speaking when the Joseph Yobo Centenary Game committee led by Joseph Yobo and coordinator Waidi Akanni paid the Honorable Minister a courtesy visit in his office on Tuesday in Abuja, the minister remarked that the entire nation was proud of the former Everton defender for his record-setting feat of 101 caps for Nigeria.
Dalung who was at 2002 Africa Cup of Nations as part of the Federal Government delegation praised Yobo for his dedication to Nigeria describing him as a national asset.
Joseph Yobo photo credit: @jyobo234
“We’re proud of you because you have put in so much. The joy of the whole thing is that you are lucky to be celebrated alive. I’m sure that when you were playing the matches, you were not counting the number of games you played but you offered a selfless service. For every good thing a human being does, it will be compensated by another person now or later. So I associate myself with this great idea and I pray and wish you a successful outing”.
Barrister Dalung also had words of advice for the ex-International.
“I will advise that the best you can do for this country is not only to be celebrated but you need to reproduce people who think like you, who behave like you and people who will do things the way you do. The best thing to happen to any human being is to look back and see people resembling you while phasing out. With your level of international exposure and experience, you should be able to have something locally done on ground. Carefully select people who believe in what you believe in and bring them up so that this cause we’re celebrating will be replicated”.
He expressed his regrets over his inability to be physically present on Friday in Port Harcourt because his invitation came at a time that he had already started his vacation and will be out of the country. Barrister Dalung promised that a high powered Federal Government delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry will be at the celebration.
He used the medium to advice that the Ministry of Youth and Sports and other relevant authorities should be taken into confidence in planning such activity of national relevance to enable all stakeholders to be on the same page.
Responding, the former Super Eagles captain seized the opportunity to congratulate the Honorable Minister on his appointment.
Barrister Solomon Dalung, Nigeria’s Minister For Youths and Sports
“We want to use this opportunity to invite everybody to Rivers state. I apologize for coming to inform you about the game so late but it’s the right thing to come in person and invite you to this game. Your presence will make a huge difference as the father of sports in this country. If you look at my resume and what I’ve done for this nation, 101 games, 3 World Cups and 6 Africa Cup of Nations, I just realized what I’ve done and everybody is pushing me to be celebrated. I wish you’d be there with your team because it’s going to be an exciting game”.
Joseph Yobo is the first Nigerian to play 101 games and will be joined by Chelsea captain John Terry, African football legend Samuel Etoo Fils and former Nigerian legends Austin Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and Vincent Enyeama at the centenary game.
Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike will score the first goal of the #YoboTestimonial which takes place at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt this Friday.
Yobo, in whose honour the game is being played, said instead of the usual ceremonial kickoff, there will be a ceremonial penalty, to be taken by the governor against former Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama
“Governor Wike is a man of unique qualities, so it is only right that we give him the distinction of opening this special game in a unique fashion,” the former Nigeria captain said.
“Although he is great goalkeeper and a great penalty saver, I don’t think that Enyeama can stop that penalty.”
A host of international stars and former Nigeria players will be in Port Harcourt for the match, which follows last weekend’s international golf tournament and Yobo says it is a credit to the Wike administration that the state is hosting major events without any incidents
Governor Nyesom Wike Of Rivers State
“High profile events and people are coming to Rivers State and it is a credit to the governor that all these events are happening in peaceful circumstances.”
Kickoff for the game is at 4PM and it is live on SuperSport 3HD and SuperSport 9.
SuperSport, Africa’s leading pay tv channel, will broadcast the Joseph Yobo Testimonial and Centenary match live on two of its premium channels, SuperSport 9 and SuperSport 3.
The game, to mark Yobo’s retirement from international football and record-setting 100 appearances for Nigeria, will be broadcast across the continent in full HD.
“At SuperSport, we take pride in our unwavering support of African talent and there are few talents more deserving of recognition than Joseph Yobo,” Felix Awogu, SuperSport Nigeria General Manager said.
“We are proud to be part of this celebration of one of the greatest players this country has ever produced and that is why we have this game on two of our premium channels, and also in full HD.”
Among players expected to participate are Chelsea captain John Terry, African football legend Samuel Etoo Fils and former Nigerian legends Austin Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu.
Joseph Yobo photo credit: @jyobo234
Former Nigeria captain Vincent Enyeama will also return to the pitch in Port Harcourt, along with Julius Aghahowa, Yakubu Ayegbeni, Chidi Odiah and Danny Shittu.
KickOff is at 4PM Nigeria time at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.
The proprietor of 36 Lion football club, Alhaji Gafar Olawale Liameed, has praised the organisers of the Yobo Centenary Testimonial Game.
Gafar opined that such events would encourage the younger generation of footballers to give their best at all times to national duty and knowing that such efforts would not be in vain.
“l am glad the official testimonial game is coming up at last, the member of the Lagos FA enthused.
Liameed Gafar
“l also believe this event would truly encourage the younger generation of footballers in the country, ” Gafar added.
The official testimonial game for Yobo, who claimed a centenary of caps for the Super Eagles, comes up this weekend in Port Harcourt.
Super Eagles and Olympiakos of Greece Forward Brown Ideye says it would have been a great honor for him to be part of the Joseph Yobo testimonial scheduled for the 27th of May in Port Harcourt.
Ideye who is currently on holidays with his family in Port Harcourt revealed he had made enquiries about the game before he found out he was going to be part of the Super Eagles friendly games scheduled for the same period.
The Super Eagles are billed to take on Mali on May 27 and then Luxembourg on the 31st of May and Ideye has been penciled down by caretaker Eagles manager Salisu Yusuf as one of the players to prosecute the ties.
I really wanted to play. I had called and made enquiries last month concerning this particular game (Yobo Testimonial) because I didn’t know I would be invited to the national team.
I was like let me come home with my family play the game then go to the states for holidays with my family but I got called up.
Ideye who won the African Nations Cup with the Super Eagles along sides Yobo in 2013, is full of nothing but praise for the former Eagles captain whom he says always acted with concern towards his fellow players and wished the national assignment didn’t coincide with an opportunity to honour his former captain.
I was really looking forward to the game, to play for him because I played under him and he is a very good guy and it would have been a great honor to support him.
Yobo became the first Nigerian Male Footballer to get a 100 caps when he captained the Super Eagles in a World Cup game against France at the FIFA World Cup on June 30 2014.
The Nigeria Football Federation has however released current Eagles captain John Obi Mikel and his Vice, Ahmed Musa to honor the testimonial game.
Football’s world governing body, FIFA, has congratulated former Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo for his service to the beautiful game, ahead of Yobo’s testimonial game coming up on Friday, 27th May 2016 in Port Harcourt.
Reacting to a letter from the NFF informing the world body about the coming event, FIFA, in a letter personally signed by President Gianni Infantino and addressed to NFF President Amaju Pinnick, wrote: “Many thanks for your letter dated 17 May 2016 and informing us of the testimonial match in honour of former international player and Nigeria Captain Joseph Yobo.
“On this occasion, allow me to congratulate and send my best wishes to Joseph Yobo for his future activities.”
Gianni Infantino – FIFA President photo credit navkolo.me
The Nigeria Football Federation has released Super Eagles’ skipper John Mikel Obi and his assistant, Ahmed Musa to honour Yobo in Friday’s testimonial game, leaving them out of the international friendly with Mali in France on the same day.
Joseph Yobo’s testimonial game, slated for the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium on Friday, will feature a Team Joseph Yobo (comprising of Super Eagles’ players of Yobo’s generation) and a Rest of The World squad.
Former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo will welcome a host of English Premier League stars in Port Harcourt on Friday May 27 to mark his Testimonial and Centenary Game.
Among the stars expected are Chelsea captain John Terry and former Everton and Manchester United Manager David Moyes as well as Ghanaian stars Dede and Jordan Ayew.
Yobo, a committed family man, is giving families a chance to be part of the event, which is happening on Children’s Day, through their kids.
A total of 22 kids aged 6-12 years old will walk out with the players onto the pitch, and Yobo is offering a lifetime opportunity to families around Port Harcourt to give their kids 16 spots of this unique experience.
Joseph Yobo photo credit: @jyobo234
All they have to do is:
1. Take a short video (no more than 30 seconds) of their kid completing this phrase “I too can be a star because. . .”
2. Upload the video on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
3. Tag @JYobo234 on with of the three platforms. Be sure you are following the account, as the selected videos will be reshared.
4. Use the hashtags #YoboTestimonial
5. The reshared videos of 16 kids with the highest votes/likes/RTs wins.
6. Competition begins on May 19 and ends of May 24
Terms and Conditions apply. Organisers decision is final
“It was a humbling and emotional moment for me,” Said Yobo, who spent a decade at the Premier League club, which he joined from French side Olympic Marseille.
Everton have endured a torrid season, with fans booing the team and calling for manager Roberto Martinez to be fired. But they still took a time out to give a former servant a welcome worth remembering.
Feels great coming on the pitch half time at Goodison Park to the rousing ovation of fans. Pleasant Memories. Glad we won. #Evertonians
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