Udoka Edike is founder of the NextFootballStars Foundation and Chief Operating Officer of Stanza Farms. She tells OGHENOVO EGODO-MICHAEL about her career and passion for touching lives with football Tell us about your childhood and how it shaped who you are today? Even though I am from Delta State, I was born and raised in Lagos. By the time I was 15, I had lived in different parts of the city, including Igando, Festac, Surulere and Lekki.
So, I consider myself a true Lagosian. Growing up in Lagos exposed me to all kinds of people and perspectives. It is a city that is as diverse as it is dynamic, and being in constant interaction with different cultures, backgrounds, and life experiences has greatly shaped who I am today as a humanist.
Football was, and still is, a unifying force across all of Lagos. Whether you were in the heart of Surulere or Igando, football had a way of bringing people together. I grew up with five brothers and uncles who were deeply passionate about the sport, so football was naturally woven into the fabric of my life.
We would have five-a-side matches in our family compound, and I became a Manchester United fan—something that has stayed with me to this day. Attending boarding school in Lagos also taught me a lot about discipline and teamwork, but my real love for football and community grew during my university years. Whenever I was home on holiday, I would organise football competitions for disadvantaged kids in the neighbourhood, offering food item.