Mariam Akinloye with Oyewumi Adebisi & Usman Aroyewunmi (Trainees)
Embrace Global Church has emerged as the winner of the GLOWFUX@10 Novelty Charity Football Match after defeating the iCare Foundation 4-3 on penalties in the final match, as the initiative uses the sporting event to bring organisations and children from beneficiary homes together ahead of its tenth anniversary celebration.
The competition, held at the Modupe Oshikoya Youth Centre, Ita-Elewa, Ikorodu, features five teams representing corporate organisations and institutions, with 15 homes also participating in the anniversary activity.
The final ends goalless after regulation time, leaving both teams to settle the contest through penalties, where Embrace Global Church secures a 4-3 victory to win the friendly encounter.
Qualifying for the final, iCare Foundation defeats Primero Transport Services 5-0 in the semi-final, while Embrace Global Church advances after recording a 4-0 victory over Cinil Holdings.
In the earlier fixtures, Embrace Global Church defeats Primero Transport Services 2-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, while Cinil Holdings beats Courtville Business Solutions 2-1.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of GLOWFUX@10, Ms Chisom Oparaugo, expresses appreciation to the participating homes, organisations, guests and media representatives for supporting the anniversary activity.
She said that the novelty match forms part of several activities leading to the main celebration on December 28, 2026, at the Ikorodu Town Hall.
According to her, the organisation is marking ten years of bringing happiness to children in less privileged homes and ensuring that they feel loved and remembered.
“Ten years of making sure that homes are not left alone. Ten years of making sure that these children know that they are loved, they are cared about,” Oparaugo says.
She appreciates the 15 homes represented at the match, noting that the anniversary activities are designed to reach children who need support and remind them that they are not forgotten.
Oparaugo also reveals that this year’s grand celebration slated for Ikorodu Town Hall on December 28, will feature various activities with dignitaries from Ikorodu and other parts of Lagos State attending. She urged members of the public to attend with friends and family, stressing that their presence and support will help bring relief to the children.
“This is my humble request. If you are coming to our event, please don’t come alone. Come with someone,” she said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, who is the Education Secretary of Ikorodu Local Government Education Authority, commended the organisers for sustaining the humanitarian initiative over the years.
He described the ten-year journey of reaching out to vulnerable people and supporting communities as a significant achievement, while appreciating those working behind the scenes to keep the initiative running.
“Bringing people, the downtrodden into the limelight, encouraging people, and of course, giving charity to all our communities could not been have an easy task,” Odumbo says.
He particularly acknowledges the contributions of the organisers and encourages them to sustain their efforts.
Odumbo also explains that his presence at the match is an opportunity to relax and support the initiative, despite having other engagements scheduled for the day. He confirms that the member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon. Babajimi Benson, will be the Chairman of the December 28 grand celebration.
“By his grace, we shall all be there. We shall all be there powerfully with big support,” he says.
A representative of Embrace Global Church, Mrs Funmi, also speaking appreciated the organisers, particularly the GLOWFUX Team Lead, Mr Bode Oderinde, for creating an opportunity for children from less privileged homes to experience care and inclusion.
“I want to say a very big thank you to Mr Bode Oderinde for organising this kind of novelty match, and especially for helping our children,” the representative said, while expressing the church’s readiness to participate in the December celebration.
The Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, presented ₦25, 000 to the iCare Team in fulfilment of ₦5,000 pledge for every goal scored during normal time starting from the semi final encounter between iCare and Primero team with the former scoring five goals. Alhaja Alogba also fulgilled the ₦5000 pledge to the Primero Transport Services if the team scored during the competition.
Every participating player was also awarded certificates of participation at the end of the match.
GLOWFUX, an annual humanitarian social intervention initiative owned by the Bundle of Hope Child Care & Empowerment Foundation, began in 2016 to create memorable experiences for children and young people from organised needy homes, including orphanages and other charitable institutions.
Over the years, the initiative has combined entertainment, recreation and charitable support to give beneficiaries sense of belonging and ensure that their circumstances do not exclude them from shared moments of joy especially during the Yuletide seasons.
The grand tenth anniversary celebration, themed *“A Decade of Changing Lives, One Story at a Time,” holds on December 28, 2026, at the Ikorodu Town Hall, with Hon. Babajimi Benson as Chairman of the Day and he will be supported by other highly revered royal fathers and eminent personalities.
