The Chief Executive Officer of Water FC, Makanjuola Nureni, popularly known as MK, has been honoured as one of the 100 Most Influential Individuals in Nigeria at the prestigious 2025 Progressive Awards ceremony held at Barcelona Hotel, Wuse 2, Abuja yesterday.
Beaming with pride upon receiving the accolade, Nureni expressed heartfelt gratitude and reaffirmed his dedication to advancing grassroots football development across Nigeria.
“I give all glory to God Almighty and sincerely thank the Progressive Awards for recognising my efforts,”Nureni told Sportinglife.
“This honour motivates me to do even more for Nigerian sports, particularly football.”
This recognition underscores Nureni’s outstanding contributions to Nigerian football, particularly at the grassroots level.
Through Water FC, a club he founded and has nurtured, Nureni has established a platform that discovers and develops young talent, while transforming lives and communities.
Under his visionary leadership, Water FC has grown into a powerhouse for youth football development. The club boasts state-of-the-art training facilities, elite-level coaching, and an extensive scouting network across the country.
Several Water FC graduates, including Michael Babatunde, Gabriel Okechukwu, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, and the current Flying Eagles captain, Daniel Bameyi, have gone on to represent Nigeria in international competitions such from the youth teams to the senior national teams U-17 and U-20 World Cups and have become prominent figures in professional football.
As a philanthropist and mentor, Nureni’s steadfast commitment to youth empowerment through sport has earned him respect both inside and beyond the football ecosystem. His inclusion among Nigeria’s 100 Most Influential Individuals validates his tireless efforts and visionary leadership.
“This award is not just for me,” Nureni added. “It’s for every young player with a dream and every coach who believes in the power of grassroots football. Together, we’re building the future.”