Mikel Raises stakes with Back2Base Talent Hunt Project

Mikel with some of the participants during his Back2Base project in Lagos

When former Super Eagles and Chelsea star, John Obi Mikel, showed up at the Evans Square, Ebute Metta in Lagos to play football with locals on the sandy pitch, many had wrongly suggested it was another publicity stunt common with ex-internationals.

But Mikel, who was media-shy even during his active days, had more genuine intentions as he was determined to help raise new superstars, not just in football but also in basketball and tennis through his new project.

By the time Mikel rounded up the talent hunt program, with a sudden appearance last week Wednesday at Ojo Street in the heart of the densely-populated Obalende area of Lagos, it was an anti-climax of a loaded three-week schedule. He was greeted with wide jubilations as the fans jostled to catch a glimpse of one of Africa’s most-accomplished football stars.

The Back2Base project decided to extend his goodwill to the Para-soccer players, who were surprised by the kind gesture of monetary and wheelchair donations from the Chelsea legend.

“I am aware there are a lot of talents out there, but if we don’t come to their aid and provide them platforms to exhibit what they’ve got, they may not be able to actualise their potential,” Mikel noted as he reckoned his journey as a little boy on the streets of Jos to becoming a global superstar.

After several months of research and combing the streets of Lagos, Mikel and his team, led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Avianna & Harvey Entertainments, Ahmed Fadekemi, announced the modalities for the first edition of the Back2Base talent hunt project.

From the onset, the intention was crystal different from the tons of the other talent hunt