Sports
UN Football for the Goals Champions Amokachi, Gilberto Silva Rally Global Support for Youth Mental Health at UN Headquarters
Joel Ajayi
Daniel Amokachi, the Super Eagles legend and Gilberto Silva, World Cup Champion, and FIFA ambassador, amongst others have advocated for global awareness to combat youth mental health challenges.
The football stars spoke at a United Nations (UN) high-profile event tagged ‘One World, One Game, One Goal: Football For The Goals (FFTG) Initiative’ at the (UN) headquarters in New York.
The event, convened by the UN Youth Affairs Office, brought together member states, young leaders, policymakers, and athletes including Pop Mensah-Bonsu, basket ball executive and former NBA player, Eniola Aluko MBE former Chelsea FC English Women’s National Team and Great Britain Olympic team player to highlight the power of sports in promoting mental well-being.
Sharing his personal struggles, Amokachi the Olympic gold medalist recounted how an unexpected injury ahead of the 1998 World Cup derailed his career and severely impacted his mental health.”Before the World Cup in France, a very good friend of mine and I had a planned to end up in Serie A or the Premiership. We had our calculations, but God had His,” Amokachi said.”We went to the World Cup, I got injured, went under the knife, and six months later, doctors told me I couldn’t play football anymore. That was when mental health challenges hit me.”
The former Everton forward said the experience inspired him to set up the Daniel Amokachi Eduplus Youth Development Foundation, which focuses on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, peace, justice and strong institutions.”When it comes to mental health, the context of addressing it in Europe or America is different from the way you tackle it in Africa,” he added.
Speaking about the work of his foundation he highlighted “experience has shown us that mental health issues can not only be tackled in classrooms or conference rooms but on the field”
Also speaking at the event, Felipe Paullier, the assistant secretary-general for youth affairs, stressed that sustainable development cannot be achieved without prioritizing youth mental well-being.”Certainly, because of technology, change can sometimes make the future feel unpredictable,” Paullier said.”But this is certain: young people are not standing still. They have built connections where others see division.
“In every country I have visited, one issue always comes up: mental health. For young people, mental health is about care and connections.”
The high point of the event was the official unveiling of the ‘Football for the Goals’ champions, with Amokachi named as the first and only Nigerian former player selected for the influential global group.
The UN initiative mobilises the football community to drive the SDGs, leveraging the world’s most popular sport to build a sustainable and peaceful future.
Sports
AACT 2026: 31 Days to Africa’s Big Sporting Gathering in Abuja
Joel Ajayi
The countdown to the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) has officially entered the final month, with just 31 days to go before Africa’s leading women’s team golf championship tees off at the IBB International Golf & Country Club in Abuja.
In a statement signed by the AACT 2026Director of Communication Kayode Adeniyi on Friday in Abuja.
Under the theme “Africa Is Coming to Abuja,” the countdown campaign will spotlight the championship, the participating nations, the players, the host venue and the growing development of women’s golf across the continent.
The 2026 AACT, scheduled for November 2–7, will bring together women’s golfing talent from across Africa for six days of continental competition in Nigeria’s capital.
As preparations continue at the IBB International Golf & Country Club, attention is increasingly turning to Abuja, where the championship will provide a platform for African golfers to compete while also showcasing Nigeria’s hospitality and the country’s growing profile as a destination for major sporting events.
The countdown will feature daily stories, interviews, player and country profiles, tournament facts, behind-the-scenes updates and features on the host venue as the championship draws closer.
The campaign will also highlight the role of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), the Local Organising Committee and other stakeholders in preparing for the continental championship.
With just 31 days remaining, anticipation is building across the African golfing community as Abuja prepares to welcome the continent’s leading women golfers.
Africa is coming to Abuja.
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