Nigerian Football
NFF UNVEILS COCA-COLA AS OFFICIAL SOFT DRINK AND CO-SPONSOR OF THE NATIONAL TEAMS
The Nigeria Football Federation and Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited on Wednesday in Lagos consummated a partnership agreement that made the beverage behemoth ‘Official Soft Drink and Co-Sponsor of Nigeria National Teams’.
Cletus Onyebuoha, Head of Strategic Marketing (Sparkling) at Coca-Cola’s West Africa Business Unit comprising 33 countries with 45% Africa population, said: “We are proud and excited to partner with the Nigeria Football Federation as a sponsor of the Nigeria National Teams. Historically, Coca-Cola has always been in the forefront of corporate support for the development of football in Nigeria.
“This sponsorship of the Nigeria National Teams is a further demonstration of Coca-Cola’s commitment to football in Nigeria at all levels and our support for communities where we operate. Everyone knows that Coca-Cola is the Official Global Partner of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.”
President of Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick said: “We are delighted to be associated with a super brand like Coca-Cola. A lot of good is happening to Nigerian football all round and I want to commend Members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management for the giant strides.
“It is heart warming that Coca-Cola has chosen to come into sponsorship of the Nigeria National Teams at a time that we are all committed to the mission of achieving the best –ever outing for Nigeria (and Africa) at the FIFA World Cup finals, and to take the other teams to the next level while building a sustainable football culture for the country.”
He also used the opportunity to reiterate that the NFF is determined to complete work on and commission six mini –secretariats in six States of the Federation within the next two months, and to have the mini –secretariat in each of the 36 States and the FCT within the next three years.
“ We also intend to commission at least two football pitches in each State of the Federation and the FCT within the next five years. This is part of our efforts to take football back to the grassroots.”
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Olusade Adesola, who represented the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, commended Coca-Cola for the move and appealed to other corporate bodies in the country to emulate the soft drink giants.
“I am elated that a global brand like Coca-Cola has found Nigerian Football worthy to partner with. This decision certainly underscores the growth of the Nigeria game, and support such as Coca-Cola’s will enable the sports sector to maintain its upward trajectory for the good of the Nigerian youth and the Nigerian nation.”
Managing Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Bhupendra Suri and the Managing Director of Nigeria Bottling Company, Georgios Polymenakos also expressed their excitement at the agreement, while congratulating the NFF and the Super Eagles for qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.
NFF 2nd Vice President/Chairman of Marketing, Sponsorship and TV Rights Committee, Shehu Dikko, explained that the initial contract is for a period of five years and worth $4 million, and also renewable.
Also at the ceremony which held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island were NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi, NFF Executive Committee member Aisha Falode, NFF Deputy General Secretary Emmanuel Ikpeme, Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr, LMC CEO Nduka Irabor, Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Bismark Rewane, Coca-Cola’s Public Affairs Manager Amaka Onyemelukwe, NBC’s Legal Director Sade Morgan, AIPS Vice President Mitchell Obi, NFF Director of Competitions Bola Oyeyode, Director of Communications Ademola Olajire, Head of Marketing Alizor Chuks, Super Falcons’ player Asisat Oshoala and Onome Ebi and leading lights of sports reporting in the country.
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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