Nigerian Football
NFF GETS OFFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES PROVIDER
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced WAPIC Insurance as its insurance services provider.
According to a media release, NFF on Friday in Lagos signed an agreement that conferred on the insurance company, the title of ‘Official Insurance Services Provider and Co-Sponsor of the NFF.’
NFF President, Amaju Pinnick expressed his delight and that of the federation with the contract, “which now provides excellent safety and security for our active national team players and officials while on duty and offers a well –paved route for them to have a better future through proper pension fund.
“WAPIC, like the present NFF, is an organization driven by positive vision. WAPIC aims to emerge as a top two full service West African insurance company while the NFF, through its Goal Project, wants to build mini-secretariats and football fields in all States and the FCT and build a sustainable football culture in the country. It is a union of two companies with positive energy.”
Managing Director of WAPIC Insurance PLC, Mrs Yinka Adekoya, affirmed that the company was excited to team up with Nigerian Football, given the huge role that football plays in nation –building and the excitement that it generates among the youth and adults alike.
“The NFF is an organization that is making Nigeria proud through the excellent results of the national teams and WAPIC is a top financial institution seeking to be the most enjoyable company to do business with and to become a top 20 financial services institution in Nigeria by 2019.”
NFF’s 2nd Vice President/Chairman of Marketing, Sponsorship and TV Rights Committee, Shehu Dikko, explained that the contract is for five years in the initial with an option of renewal, and will cost the insurance outfit close to N100 million every year.
“This agreement gives us tremendous peace of mind as it provides insurance cover for all the national teams, our assets and events. WAPIC will in turn have access to all our matches and events.
“We are also very happy that Sen Force Insurance Brokers are involved in this, and will advise us on the best insurance cover and properties to take for our teams, assets and events and will write for our claims whenever there is the need.
“We also want to explore the important area of pension fund for our players and valuable advice to them on the packages best for them.”
WAPIC Insurance PLC offers a diverse range of products and services covering life, general and special risk businesses. It was founded in 1958 and licensed to underwrite all classes of insurance risks, and was listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange in 1990.
Chairman of Sen Force, Anirejuoritse Ojuyah assured that his company will broker what is best for Nigerian Football throughout the life of the contract, while NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi pledged that the Federation will abide by every letter of the agreement.
Also present at the signing were Chairman of WAPIC Insurance PLC, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Bode Ojeniyi (Executive Director, WAPIC), Aisha Falode (Member, NFF Executive Committee), Olufemi Obaleke (Executive Director, WAPIC), Dere Otubu, Peter Ehinmen (Chief Risk Officer, WAPIC), Mr. Patrick Osadebe (Head, Retail Division), Miss Aina Akintonde (Head, Service and Fulfilment), Sunny Ogbemudia (Chief Internal Auditor), Ademola Olajire (NFF Director of Communications) and Colin Udoh (Member, NFF Marketing, Sponsorship and TV Rights Committee).
The agreement came only 48 hours after beverage company, Coca-Cola signed up as ‘Official Soft Drink and Co-Sponsor of the Nigeria National Teams,’ and Shehu Dikko, who is also NFF’s Strategy Committee head, confirmed to thenff.com that more partnership agreements are on the way in the coming weeks.
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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