Ajegunle came alive on Saturday as several Super Eagles stars, including Victor Osimhen, William Troost-Ekong, Victor Boniface, Raphael Onyedika, and Frank Onyeka, stormed the iconic Lagos community for the 2025 Maracana Children’s Fest, a grassroots football initiative spearheaded by their teammate Wilfred Ndidi.
The festival, held at the historic Maracana Stadium in Ajegunle, aimed to inspire and empower young football talents by providing a platform for both boys and girls to showcase their skills, dream boldly, and interact directly with their football heroes.
Victor Osimhen, who received a hero’s welcome from hundreds of excited children and local fans, arrived alongside Ndidi and was warmly received by the founder of the Nathaniel Idowu Foundation, the organization behind the event.
The scenes were both beautiful and emotional as young players and community members beamed with joy at the rare opportunity to meet their idols face-to-face. The presence of the international stars brought a celebratory atmosphere to Ajegunle, a community renowned for producing top football talents.
The Maracana Children’s Fest is part of ongoing efforts to revive grassroots football in Nigeria and provide meaningful mentorship and exposure for the next generation of stars.
