A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Fouad Oki, has been appointed a Patron of Team Nigeria for the Homeless World Cup.

Team Nigeria Director, Mr Yomi Kuku, made the announcement, citing the commitment of Dr Oki to grassroots football, his selflessness and philanthropy.

“Dr. Fouad Oki is a source of inspiration to the younger generation. His open-door policy and thorough engagement are good mentoring tools for our target group,” Kuku said in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon.

“This appointment is coming at a time I have decided to devote to young people’s personal development in this country. They deserve inclusion in all spheres of the society and my vision is to use the Homeless World Cup to connect vulnerable youths through football. I am aware of the great work the Homeless World Cup is doing across 70 countries in more than two decades. I can confidently say that I am available to support the progress of the movement in Lagos and across Nigeria,” Dr. Oki said in his response to the clarion call.

“The Homeless World Cup has been hosted in Africa only once by Cape Town, South Africa in 2006 and I know the impact that it has on the city. We have the capacity to host the tournament in Lagos and this is something I am glad to facilitate and support with all my vigour leading to a legacy programme that we shall all be proud of in Lagos State,” Dr Fouad Oki added.

The Homeless World Cup Is an annual street soccer event that brings together homeless people from across the world to participate in a football tournament that seeks to promote social inclusion and empowerment.

The 2023 edition of the Homeless World Cup will be held in Sacramento, California in July with 70 countries in attendance.