How UYOTA Football Club serves as tool for youth empowerment, community transformation, talent discovery by Adigwe
By Trek Africa Newspaper
Afoma Ojei- Adigwe, Founder of UYOTA Community Football Club (UCFC) an affiliate of Uplifting Youths Through Agriculture (UYOTA), is a woman of many parts.
Over the years, Adigwe who is also the brain behind Uplifting Women Through Agriculture has demonstrated high level of commitment in empowering rural women and youths through Agriculture.
In this interview with Trek Africa Newspaper, she discussed strategies on how Nigerian youths can be encouraged to be involved in Agriculture.
She also highlighted the idea behind the establishment of the UYOTA Football Club.
During the interview, she lamented high level of food insecurity facing Nigeria and proffered solution to the food crisis.
The actress turned farmer also highlighted other issues of National interest. Excerpts.
What is the idea behind UYOTA Football Club?
It was established as a community-based youth development platform that combines football, education, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and leadership training.
The idea behind the UYOTA Community Football Club (UCFC) is to use football as a tool for youth empowerment, leadership development, community transformation, and talent discovery.
It is not just a football team but a community-based platform designed to help young people build productive futures through sports, education, and entrepreneurship. This aligns with the broader role that grassroots football programmes often play in youth development and community building.
The Club hopes to identify and nurture talented young footballers from various communities.
It would also provide training, mentorship, and opportunities for advancement in football careers.
When youths are engaged positively through sports, it would reduce involvement in crime, drug abuse, and other social vices.
The Football Club would no doubt promote the UYOTA campaign: “Not in Our Character – Say No to Drug.”
Can you highlight other projects you have embarked on and those currently in the pipeline? In what ways have these projects contributed to national development?
Uplifting Youths Through Agriculture (UYOTA) is a youth-focused initiative and affiliate of Uplifting Women Through Farming (UWTF). For the past ten years, UYOTA has remained committed to empowering young people through agriculture, agribusiness, entrepreneurship, leadership development, and community transformation.
As part of its 10th Anniversary Celebration in 2026, UYOTA will host a special celebration featuring the UYOTA Moving Awards Ceremony, where outstanding individuals, youth leaders, and community development champions will be recognised and honoured for their exceptional contributions to youth empowerment, agriculture, and community development.
Over the years, UYOTA has successfully organised capacity-building programmes, training workshops, and agricultural development initiatives for thousands of young people across Nigeria.
One of its landmark programmes was the Africa Youths in Agri-Business Summit, held in November 2025 in Abuja, with the support of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and IF I WERE XYZ, a United States-based non-profit organization. The summit provided practical knowledge, networking opportunities, and investment linkages for young agripreneurs across Africa.
UYOTA also successfully organized the First Royal Agric Investment Tour to Thailand, led by HRH Yahaya Abubakar CFR, ( Etsu Nupe) , with the support of the Embassy of Nigeria in Thailand and the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), Thailand.
The tour enabled participants to study Thailand’s agricultural innovations, modern farming technologies, value-chain development, and community-based agricultural systems.
Building on that success, UYOTA will organize the Second Royal Agricultural Investment and Community Transformation Study Tour to China in October 2026.
The study tour aims to expose traditional rulers and participants to China’s remarkable achievements in modern agriculture, agro-industrial development, rural transformation, food security, and sustainable community development and funding.
UYOTA is also working in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to promote youth rehabilitation and empowerment through agribusiness. This partnership is designed to encourage young people to embrace agriculture as a productive career path, reducing unemployment, drug abuse, and other social vices while creating sustainable livelihoods.
As part of its 2026 programme of activities, UYOTA will host the Second Africa UYOTA Youths Agribusiness Summit in December 2026 at its Headquarters in Ubulu-Unor, Delta State, Nigeria.
The summit will bring together government leaders, development partners, investors, researchers, agribusiness experts, financial institutions, youth organizations, and international stakeholders to discuss innovative strategies for food security, investment, job creation, and sustainable agricultural development across Africa.
Through strategic partnerships, practical training, international exposure, investment promotion, and community-based initiatives, UYOTA continues to inspire and equip young people to become leaders in agriculture, agribusiness, and national development, contributing to a more prosperous and food-secure Africa.
Food insecurity remains a major challenge facing the nation. What do you think is responsible and what is the way forward?
Food insecurity remains one of the greatest challenges facing our nation due to several interconnected factors. These include insecurity in farming communities, climate change, inadequate access to finance for farmers especially women , poor rural infrastructure, high cost of agricultural inputs, post-harvest losses, weak storage and processing facilities, and limited mechanization,
The way forward requires a coordinated and long-term approach. Government should prioritise security in farming communities, invest in modern agricultural technologies, improve rural roads and irrigation systems, and provide affordable credit and insurance for farmers. Strengthening value chains through processing, storage, and marketing will reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmers’ incomes.
In addition, strong public-private partnerships, increased investment in agriculture, and the adoption of climate-smart farming practices are essential.
Agriculture should be treated as a business rather than merely a subsistence activity. With the right policies, sustained investment, and active participation of the private sector, Nigeria can achieve food security, create jobs, reduce poverty, and become a leading agricultural powerhouse in Africa.
