Ogunsanya plans football academies in Nigeria

FORMER Nigeria international, Victor Ogunsanya is looking at establishing age-grade football leagues, starting from cities in the 
South West part of the country. 
The United States-based former defender made this disclosure to Tribunesport in Ibadan recently.
“I am looking at starting U-10, U-11 and U-12 [football] leagues in Nigeria,” Ogunsanya said. For a start, he said the leagues would be 
played in what he called ‘metropolitan’ cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Akure, with the prospects of extending to the northern 
parts of Nigeria as time goes on.
Ogunsanya, who now goes by the name Adebisi Adeniran, emphasized that the leagues will be incorporated into the players’ academic calendar, as the aim is to see talented youngsters combine football with academics, typical of the American system. 
According to him, matches will only be played on Saturdays and he is considering September 2018 for the takeoff.
From the leagues, the former Ranchers Bees of Kaduna and Abiola Babes FC of Abeokuta player projects that academies will emerge with the aim of further grooming the talent for the future.
Ogunsanya adds that he is being driven by the desire to give back to the society, just as he laments the collapse of the system that threw up players like him.
“There was the Principals Cup in those days because I started from the high school, but that is no more. Most of the states don’t help 
anymore. In America if you are not in school, you don’t play the sport because they don’t pick from the streets,” said the former player who added that he now recruits for American universities and colleges.
Earlier, Ogunsanya, a member of the Super Eagles squad to the Seoul ’88 Olympics had organised a three-day talent hunt at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, with the assistance of international coaches and scouts. Among these was former Flying Eagles captain and later a member of the Super Eagles, Andrew Uwe, who is now based in Germany.
At the end of the exercise dubbed ‘Africa Youth Soccer Showcase’ and witnessed by coach Kadiri Ikhana, Yisa Sofoluwe, among others, 28 youngsters scaled the hurdle. 
After the completion of formalities, the players are expected to move abroad to further their studies while also improving on their football 
skills.
Of the total number, 12 of the players will go to college in the US, six will head for Europe, while the remaining 10 will travel to Asia.