Valentine Ozigbo, the chairman of Feet ‘N’ Tricks, has been named as the inaugural Non-Executive Director and leader for Africa on the Board of the World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA), which is a historic step for African sports.
WFFA co-founders Steve Elias, president, and Daniel Wood, secretary general, made this historic appointment known on Saturday, November 25, 2023, at the World Freestyle Football Championship at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya.
“Valentine is bringing some transformational event concepts, partnerships and networks into Freestyle Football, which is going to dramatically raise the profile of athletes, the community and the Sport as a whole across the globe,” Mr Wood told the audience. “We couldn’t be happier to have him on board as a key member of the team.”
Co-Founder and President of the WFFA Steve Elias echoed the excitement, saying, “We are incredibly excited about the energy and passion that Mr. Valentine Ozigbo is bringing to the sport of freestyle football.” With Valentine’s assistance, we envision a flourishing future for the sport, as he has already had a wonderful influence on communities throughout the African continent with his fresh perspective and elevated profile.”
Valentine Ozigbo is a multi-award winning worldwide politician and CEO who has played a significant role in bringing freestyle football to Africa.
Ozigbo has been instrumental in hosting important tournaments and competitions, such as the Nigerian Freestyle Football Championship and the African Freestyle Football Championship, as the founder and chairman of Feet ‘N’ Tricks, the largest promoter of the sport on the continent.
Feet ‘N’ Tricks, under Ozigbo’s direction, backed the holding of the just finished inaugural world championship in Africa, together with the WFFA and the Home Boyz of Kenya.
Additionally, 14 elite freestylers participated in Egypt at the recent Freestyle Connect Africa 2023 continental championship, which was hosted by Feet ‘N’ Tricks.
At the end of the November 14, 2023, event, Algerian Ali Yahia Ouahmed was crowned the 2023 African Freestyle Football Champion. In addition to Ali, Mohamed Gamal of Egypt and Ramy Boujlil of Morocco took second and third, respectively.
The competition, which was a component of the Intra Africa Trade Fair (IATF2023), emphasized the cultural diversity and unity of the African continent in addition to showcasing athletic prowess.
The nomination of Ozigbo is regarded as a critical move in acknowledging and advancing the development of freestyle football in Africa.
Ozigbo was the group CEO and immediate past president of Transcorp Plc, the largest conglomerate in Africa based on shareholder base. It is anticipated that his experiences as a special adviser to Peter Obi during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential race, as well as his contributions as a corporate leader, philanthropist, and tech visionary, will offer a distinctive viewpoint to the WFFA Board.
As the worldwide regulatory organization, the World Freestyle Football Association is in charge of setting up international competitions and standardizing the regulations for the game.
With Ozigbo’s appointment, the WFFA hopes to increase its presence throughout the world and give athletes a greater stage on which to display their abilities.