Over 400 Youths To Participate in Grassroots Talent Screening Exercise 

  Over 400 Youths To Participate in Grassroots Talent Screening Exercise   By Editor No fewer than 400 youths participated in a grassroots football talent screening exercise on Tuesday as Daniel Amokachi, the Special Assistant to the President on Sports flagged off the event in Abuja. The grassroots programme known as "Next Naija Football Super Star" is a reality TV show aimed at creating a viable platform for raw untapped talent in Nigeria and beyond. All registered individuals/teams are expected to go through a four-day  screening exercise which would produce a total of 36 successful candidates that will slug it out for the grand prize (an all-expenses paid trial in Europe) in a TV reality show. Amokachi while addressing participants at the event hailed the organisers of the programme, adding that it was a project any football loving personality would be proud to be associated with. "We are living in a society where our football has degenerated to a pitiable and unenviable state. "We have one million and one talented football players in this country who are anxious to get a platform to showcase what they have and I think this is an opportunity for them. "When you talk about football talents, Nigeria is in the top three, only after Brazil and Argentina. "But because we are not productive in the sense that football or sports is not ran as a serious business in Nigeria that is why we don't get the desired results. "It is however good to see a young group of people who see the benefits of investing in talents, coming together and organising a grassroots programme where young footballers can showcase what they have," he said. The ex-international advised the young and upcoming football talents to remain steadfast and focused if they must achieve their dreams of a better future for themselves and their families. "You must be disciplined, focused and determined. If you have these three important qualities it will definitely help in propeling you towards achieving your dreams. "You must also look inwards. It is not just focusing on going abroad in search of a better life. We have the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL), Nigeria National League (NNL) and the  Nigeria Professional League (NPFL). "I believe with the talents I have seen been showcased here today, most of them will easily make it into our local leagues and gradually make a name for themselves. "I am proud to say that we have a President and a Minister who loves sports and have been trying as much as possible to create alot of platforms where the youths can benefit. "That's why our number one priority is to make sports business, because if it is not business, then we will just be wasting our time," he said. The screening exercise which kicked off on Tuesday will end on Friday.