For NEC FC forward Innocent Media, football is more than a profession. It is a part of who he is and behind that journey is the memory of his late father, Awule Alex, the man who introduced him to the game he would eventually make part of his life.
Awule Alex passed away on 20 August 2024, but his memory continues to live on through his son's football journey.
On Friday, 18th September 2026, Innocent Media will honour his late father through a special memorial friendly match in Koboko, bringing together Friends of Innocent Media and Koboko Soccer Academy.
The match will provide an opportunity for friends, footballers and members of the local community to come together in remembrance of Awule Alex and celebrate the impact he had on his son's life.
For Media, the occasion is deeply personal.
“He didn’t just give me life , he introduced me to the game that became part of who I am. Every goal I score, every match I play, and every step I take in football can carry a piece of his legacy.”
Those words capture what the memorial match represents for the NEC FC player.
Football can often begin with a simple moment, a father taking his son to a pitch , buying his first ball or simply encouraging him to play.
For Innocent Media, that connection with football became much more than a childhood experience. It developed into a career and a defining part of his identity.
Today, whenever he steps onto the pitch, there is a connection to the man who helped him discover the sport.
The memorial match gives Media an opportunity to celebrate that connection publicly while keeping his father's memory close to the football community.
The friendly between Friends of Innocent Media and Koboko Soccer Academy will take place in Koboko on Friday, 18th September 2026.
Rather than focusing on competition, the game will create a platform for remembrance, friendship and community.
Young footballers from Koboko Soccer Academy will also have the opportunity to be part of an occasion that demonstrates how football can carry stories from one generation to another.
There will be no league points at stake and no major trophy to decide the winner.
The significance of the day will be found elsewhere in the people gathered, the memories shared and the life being celebrated.
For Media, every pass, every goal and every moment on the pitch will carry a meaning beyond football.
As he continues to build his career with NEC FC, the legacy of Awule Alex remains part of his story.
The memorial match is therefore more than 90 minutes of football.
It is a son's way of saying thank you.
It is a community coming together to remember.
And above all, it is Innocent Media keeping his father's love for football alive.
