The football development vision of Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, is beginning to produce tangible results, with Sunshine Queens FC goalkeeper Bright Etim and defender ,Lucky victory earning a place in Nigeria’s final squad for the forthcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
The players selection represents a significant milestone for Sunshine Queens and another indication of the growing impact of the Ondo State Government’s renewed investment in football development through the Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA) under the leadership of Mr. Divine Ogbonnaya.
The development is particularly significant because it demonstrates that deliberate investment in talent identification, players development and stronger football structures can create pathways for home-grown players to reach the international stage.
The progress also gives fresh credence to the administration’s commitment to using football not only as a source of entertainment, but as a platform for youth development, opportunity and global representation for Ondo State.
A Return to the World Stage
Available records show that the last confirmed Sunshine Queens player to make a FIFA World Cup squad while registered with the Akure club was Cameroonian goalkeeper Isabelle Mambingo, who was named in Cameroon’s 23-player squad for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. Contemporary squad records listed Mambingo as a Sunshine Queens player.
For Nigerians Sunshine Queens Etim and victory’s achievement marks a particularly notable moment in the club’s history.
ODSFA’s New Direction
Under Divine Ogbonnaya, has placed renewed emphasis on rebuilding football structures and creating opportunities for young talents to progress.
Bright Etim and lucky victory’s emergence on the international stage is therefore more than an individual achievement it is a reflection of a football system beginning to deliver visible results.
For Governor Aiyedatiwa, the inclusion of a Sunshine Queens players in Nigeria’s final World Cup squad provides another reason to believe that the state’s football policies are moving in the right direction.
From Akure to the global stage, Bright Etim and lucky victory is proving that with the right structure, investment and leadership, Ondo State football can continue to produce talents capable of representing Nigeria at the highest level.
The results of the vision are beginning to show.
Indeed Ondo state is lucky and Odsfa is Lucky.