The football foundation of one time Nigerian female national team, the falcons goal-Ledoro, Mercy Akide, has been revealed by the man who lured her into playing football.
Chief Dr. Godspower Kokoriko, the president of United Youths Sports Federation of Nigeria (UYSFON), a grassroots youth sports exponent narrated how he raised the Nigerian female national team, the Falcons strike force Mercy Akide, to play football.
Mercy Akide, now a qualified female football coach was picked by chief Kokoriko without football trait, according Chief Kokoriko. He was given Mercy Akide by her biological parents to turn her life into a useful venture being a grassroots sports promoter and administrator, the only job chief Kokoriko knows how to do to effect a positive change in the lives of the youths. Chief Kokoriko said he discouraged Mercy Akide from selling akara from street to street in the Diobu axis ofPort Harcourtand turned her to a football star.
The chief narrated further that as at that time, Mercy Akide has not even developed breasts. “As for the parents, they said to me take her and do whatever pleases you. Let mercy Akide, our daughter be your own. Because we know that you will make something out of her life”.
Chief Kokoriko who is now a licensed international evangelist hinted our sports anchor that the first word he uttered to Mercy Akide was “You mercy Akide, you will become a star” and indeed, Mercy Akide became the star chief Kokoriko predicted.
Chief Kokoriko, disclosed that thereafter he introduced Mercy Akide into playing the most loved sports in the world, the round leather game. From that first moment on, under the watchful eyes of Chief Kokoriko, the life of Mercy Akide was shaped as she never disappointed her new father and mentor (Chief Kokoriko) in blossoming into the star she is today.
Disclosing further on how Mercy Akide started playing her first noticed major football championship, chief Kokoriko revealed that he personally introduced her into Garden City Queens of Port Harcourt and from then on, the rest was history as little Mercy Akide blossomed like a flower in the winter in becoming a world football star.
Kokoriko also revealed about another retired ex-Super Eagles defence strongman, Taribo West, as a product he raised from nobody to somebody through football. ####
