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It was more than just a friendly when Aidu Football Academy (AFA), Lafiagi, took on Kwara United in Ilorin on Saturday. While the NPFL side, pampered with state funding and fresh from their President’s Federation Cup triumph, fielded a confident squad, the academy boys came out wearing black armbands — a bold statement of solidarity for Kwara North, their home region currently reeling from bandit attacks.
Speaking after the match, Dr. Ndanusa, a director at AFA, told reporters that the game was about more than football.
“Lafiagi, where our academy is based, is bleeding as a result of insecurity. That’s why our boys wore black armbands, it was their way of asking for solidarity,” he said. “Government is doing its best, but security is everybody’s problem.”
AFA, which formally unveiled its academy in February, has quickly grown into one of the most ambitious private football projects in the region. According to Ndanusa, the academy already has players on trials abroad.
“We have boys in Ethiopia trying out with clubs, and others preparing for Doha, Qatar. Those still in Nigeria continue to engage teams across Kwara,” he explained.
But beyond the insecurity challenge, the academy faces another steep hurdle: lack of private sector investment in football.
“Running an academy requires money, time, and enormous resources that one man alone can’t carry,” Ndanusa said. “Unlike government-backed clubs like Kwara United, private academies struggle for support. People understand football’s value but have not directly benefited, so they shy away from investing.”
Despite the odds, AFA insists football can serve as a tool for peace and development in the troubled Kwara North region.
“Our message is simple: football can be a force for good,” Ndanusa stressed. “Even in a conflict zone, young men can choose football over crime if given the opportunity. With security guaranteed and more investment, we can produce not just footballers, but ambassadors of peace.”
Saturday’s symbolic match against Kwara United may have ended on the pitch, but for AFA, the bigger battle continues off it winning peace and private investment for football in Kwara North.