Kanu, RMD, Ireti Doyle, Unite To Fight Human Trafficking

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Come February 28, Lagos will be agog as top celebrities converge to play a novelty football match in support of the fight against human trafficking.

Billed to hold at the Campos Square Stadium, Lagos Island, Lagos, movie star Richard Mofe Damijo popularly called RMD will lead 11 other stars to square up against former Super Eagles striker and captain, Kanu Nwankwo’s team.

Former Super Eagles coaches, Shaibu Amodu and Christian Chukwu will coach Team Kanu Nwankwo and Team RMD respectively while actresses Ireti Doyle and Apostle Eucharia Anunobi will each play five penalties to determine the winners at the end of the day. The initiative, a project of Next2None support group is tagged ‘Africa My Africa Walk Against Human Trafficking/Legendary/Celebrity Football Match and Owerri, Imo State capital will play host to the stars after Lagos. Accra, Ghana’s edition will hold later this year.

At the press conference to announce the event held on February 6 in Lagos, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, SAN who delivered the keynote address called on all to join hands in the fight against human trafficking even as he described the menace as “the biggest social menace in the world today. It is a global trade in human beings , whether for forced labour or sexual exploitation. It is estimated that between 12 million and 27 million people are enslaved around the world and the biggest chunk of this trade emanate from Africa, Nigeria strongly inclusive. The reality is that the abolishment of slavery only abolished the process. There are more slaves today in the world than at any other point in human history. More processes for dealing in slavery have also emerged,” Ojukwu said.

Barrister Ndukwe Sam Obu, Founder/Chairman BoT of Next2None Support Initiative said “I want to inform all that after the Lagos and Imo events, the capital city of Ghana, Accra is ready to play host to an array of African stars as they march in solidarity against the social menace of human trafficking. The African ambassadors will also play a charity football match at the Accra Stadium after the morning match.

As I speak, 100 African celebrities from the movies, sports, comedy, religion, music among others, have been contacted to be part of the project. They are: Senator George Opon Weah, Ambassador Roger Milla, Lucas Radebe, Gen Lanre Apata (RTD),Chief Awa U Kalu (SAN),Rear Admiral Peter Ebeleheme (Rtd), Major Gen Yakubu Usman(Rtd), Prof Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo (Minister-in-Charge COZA),Pastor Mrs. Modele Fatoyinbo (COZA), John Fashanu, Rachel Bakam, Chief Acho Ukaha and Hajia Titi Abubakar.

Others are, Christian Chukwu, Hajia Laradan Shuaibu, Keppy Ekpeyong, Zack Orji, Coach Samson Siasia, Juliet Ibrahim, Mrs. Mary NS Obu, Etoo Fils, Apostle Eucharia Anunobi, Sammy Kuffor, Anthony Baffoe, Paul Ajogwu Oseni, Abedi Pele Ayew, Monalisa Chinda, Shaffy Bello, Ireti Doyle, Garuba Lawal, Patience Ozokwor, Chief Kingsley Okeh, Lexy Mojo Eyes, Bimbo Akintola, Ruth Africa, Richard Mofe Damijo(RMD), Tuface Idibia, Yemi Blaq, Don Jazzy, Ben Iroha, Ben Kwasi, Frank Nelson, Zik Zulu Okafor, Justin Akpovi Esade, Uche Jumbo, Oshinbimbo Abimbola, Florence Onuma, Ngozi Ezeonu, Tonto Dikeh Churchill, Ufoma Ejenobor, Yvonne Okoro, Mercy Aigbe Gentry, Ice Prince and  Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah. The second list of Ambassadors will be released soon.

WE are glad to announce to you that the events in Lagos, Imo and Ghana are 90 per cent ready. 90 per cent ready means that the very difficult part of it is as good as accomplished. The most difficult part was to travel many African countries to get the endorsement of the various Ambassadors of those nations in the entertainment industry such as football, music, movie and comedy, literary works. We have travelled in the last one year and six months; from Liberia to South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, Cameroun to carry out a survey as to the present situation as it relates to human trafficking. We have the endorsements of reputable African stars who are ready to partner with us on this cause. We intend to have for the very first time, a convergence of African celebrities in Accra, Ghana, to have a celebrity walk against human trafficking. Each celebrity will carry the flag of his country to showcase the solidarity of that nation against human trafficking. We have the cooperation of Ghana police, the Ghana MTU (Ghana’s version of Nigerian Road Safety Corps) have mapped out a 15 kilometre road network for this celebrity walk. The Ghana government has given us the Independence Square for all the stars to converge before the walk against human trafficking will commence. The walk is to show the world that Africa is ready to fight human trafficking. We are now ready to compliment and even do more, what CNN and Al Jazerra are doing in that regard. After the walk in the morning, African legends will be playing against Ghana legends in an exhibition football match. Legends such as Senator George Weah, Roger Miller, Jay Jay Okocha, John Fashanu, and Lucas Radebe of South Africa among many other football legends will feature in that match. I wish to mention that our ongoing documentary against human trafficking that features Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN who have spoken against the menace and proffered solutions too as well as retired army Generals among many others.”