A new football club, Green Lock FC, was officially unveiled to the public in Abuja on Friday with the owners promising to use it as a platform to enhance Nigeria’s football culture and develop the careers of young and talented footballers.
The club is owned by USA based Nigerian and former FC Malaga of Spain star, Olufunsho Peters.
The club will be competing in the Nationwide League One (NLO), Nigeria’s third tier football league, kicking off on November 24, 2023.
At the unveiling, Green Lock FC chairman, Engr Olubunmi Oladeinde Peters, revealed that the club have their base in Bwari and it is going to be different from any football club that exists in Nigeria in the past, saying the potential will be strategic and unpredictable.
According to him, the Green Lock FC came into being by accident, but no club in Nigeria can march its structures and operational strategies.
“Green Lock came into being, for me, by accident but in actual fact it was brought about by the passion of one young man, Olufunsho Peters who has brought it to bear in the world of football.
“Let me tell you a little bit about Olufunsho Peters, I recall at the age of six years old, I asked the young man what will you like to do when he grows up and he said he wants to be a footballer. At the age of 11 again when I had the privilege of cheating with him at a forum where he was graduating from a primary school and he was asked what he would want to do, he said I want to be a footballer.”
For me, who is his father and an Engineer, I don’t really get it even though I was not expecting my children to be an engineer anyway.
“So, today he said he wants to manage football, along the line established the Green Lock FC and convinced me that he is out to give the best to the industry. “Now, not only has he put his all into it, he has also driven me to a point where I’m ready to partner with him and I can assure you that the strategy of Green Lock FC is going to be different from any club that exists in Nigeria in the past.
The potential will be strategic and unpredictable because no club in this country has its structures and strategy. We need the support of Nigerian people to connect with the dream of Green Lock FC,” Engr Peters said.
The founder and executive vice chairman of the club, Olufunsho Peters, said their goal is to enhance a better developmental structure that will improve the game of soccer in Nigeria and beyond.
He said Green Lock FC will rely on technology and a substantial plan that will offer better opportunities for players to the global stage.
The chief operating officer of NLO, Shola Ogunnowo, welcomed the launching of Green Lock FC into Nigeria’s third tier football league, saying the league body will guide the club grow and succeed.
He said the club bought an available slot in NLO without any liability to compete in the 2023/24 Nationwide League season.