Cricket: ICC selects NAN reporter as participant in FLP programme

Ijeoma Okigbo has been selected as a participant in the maiden International Cricket Council (ICC) 100 per cent Cricket Future Leaders Programme.

Okigbo, a journalist with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was selected under the umbrella of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), an associate member of the ICC.

Musa Ehizoje, the NCF Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said Okigbo, who is the founder of Girls Aspire Sports Initiative, an NGO, was recognised for using cricket as a medium of empowering the Girl Child.

The journalist, alongside 39 other women across the globe, will be mentored on various leadership positions in cricket.

“Forty women from 29 ICC member countries have been selected to be mentored as part of the ICC 100 per cent Cricket Future Leaders programme, designed to support emerging female talents in Cricket.

“The programme which is part of the ICC long-term commitment to accelerate the growth of Women’s Cricket and Women in Cricket, received an overwhelming response of over 300 applicants from 45 different countries.

“The initial intake will be split into two batches and the programme, which is designed to address the low percentage of women in leadership positions in global Cricket.

“It will build a pipeline of new female leaders in Cricket,” the statement added.

Okigbo has been selected in batch 2 for this programme which is expected to kick off in November 2021.

Meanwhile, Girls Aspire, also won the ICC Best Female Cricket Initiative Award for Africa in 2020.