Zadok Yohanna: Dearth of football academies in Nigeria raises concern

Zadok Yohanna volition beryllium playing successful the Premier League adjacent season.

This is an unthinkable connection successful itself, arsenic Yohanna was playing non-professional shot successful 2025.

The 18-year-old began his vocation astatine the Ikon Allah Football Academy successful Nigeria, earlier being recruited by Swedish nine AIK past year.

It was successful Sweden that Yohanna’s vocation took flight.

The teen made his breakthrough successful the archetypal team, scoring doubly and providing 3 assists successful 13 appearances.

In June 2026, Yohanna signed for Brighton & Hove Albion for €28 million, breaking the Swedish transportation interest record.

“His trajectory wrong a twelvemonth has been phenomenal. I deliberation it is simply a pointer to however rapidly things tin alteration for people. I besides deliberation it’s a reflection of clip and chance,” Wale Agbede, a renowned sports broadcaster, told DAILY POST.

“I don’t needfully deliberation his pathway is the modular route, done which amateur players from places similar Africa, the hinterlands of Asia and South America volition onshore successful the Premier League.

“But it is simply a batch of enactment done by agents, who merit immoderate credit.

“I’m truly blessed for him and I anticipation helium grabs the opportunity. In the past, we person seen young players thrown into the heavy end, who neglect to impress.

“For someo...