As the 3rd of May draws near for the anticipated 10-kilometre Okpekpe Road Race in Edo State, with over 3000 athletes and participants expected, Malta Guinness has finalised plans to participate in the Road Race for the second year running, in a bid to promote healthy living as well as providing a productive platform for Nigeria’s vast youth population.
Austin Ufomba, Marketing and Innovation of Guinness Nigeria
With this extended partnership with rights owner of the race, Pamodzi Sports Marketing, Malta Guinness Low Sugar has now become the official Malt drink for the 10-Kilometre competition.
Explaining reasons behind the partnership, Marketing Director, Guinness Nigeria, Austin Ufomba disclosed that it was in line with the company’s brand purpose, which promotes healthy living and wellbeing of Nigerians as they achieve their dreams of participating in the Race. “We see the Okpekpe Road Race as an ideal platform to touch the lives of Nigeria’s vast youth population as well as a way to affect the lives of the host communities of the race. Of course we all know that Malta Guinness Low sugar promotes healthy living. We feel that Malta Guinness Low Sugar as the official Malt drink for our boys through this tournament will continue to reinforce its support for healthy lifestyle.
“Malta Guinness Low Sugar is all about giving the energy that every Nigerian needs to achieve their dreams as well as staying fit and healthy. This is why we have partnered with Pamodzi. This partnership with Okpekpe Road Race is all about working together to, among other things, propel the growth of road race in the country as well as offer the youths of this country a constructive endeavour to channel their energies,” he said.
Mike Itamagbor, Chief Executive Officer of Pamodzi Sports Marketing, expressed delight in the partnership extension. He stated that the alliance would go a long way helping his company to achieve the objectives of the race which include ploughing part of the revenues from hosting the race into charitable works in the host communities. “The management of Pamodzi is delighted with the extension of the partnership by Malta Guinness Low Sugar.
The continued partnership is bound to impact the hosting of the race year in year out, and will also help to meet some of the objectives of the race including helping the host communities with. This is the first race in Nigeria that takes participants across the beautiful hills in Auchi,” Itamagbor said.
Cash prizes await male and female participants, with $25, 000 (about 4 million naira) for the first place winner in the male category and $15, 000 (over 2 million naira) for the first woman who reaches the finish line. LMC moves to lure ex-stars to Glo Premier League An innovative scheme that is aimed at attracting to the Glo Premier League, Nigerian players with international exposure has been launched by the League Management Company (LMC) and this is already accommodated in the 2013/14 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Framework and Rules.
The scheme, christened the ‘Elite Players Project’ was explained in detail to the 20 Premier League Clubs in a circular signed by Salihu Abubakar, the LMC Chief Operating Officer and listed the major objective to include the improvement of professionalism in the NPFL by permitting clubs to register a maximum of two ex-international players in addition to the maximum 35 allowed in a season.
Introducing the project to the clubs in the circular of April 20, the LMC said “the LMC hereby brings to the notice of all participating Clubs of the NPFL the commencement of its ‘Elite Players Project’. This project is pursuant to Rules 9.65, 9.67. 13.60.1, 13.60(viii) and 15.21 of the NPFL Framework and Rules 2013/14 season” The LMC further explained that the benefits of the scheme to clubs, players, fans, sponsors and the League. “It has been designed to increase and deepen players-experience pool of the league, bolster the morale and confidence of younger players in the NPFL, project the image of the league as a welcoming and conducive playing environment for the return of Nigeria’s finest crop of international professional footballers and boost the mass appeal of the league for commercialization”.
The LMC however also listed criteria which will qualify any player to benefit from the scheme and stated “the ex-international player must have played for Nigeria at the Olympic Games, Nations Cup, World Cup or alternatively have earned at least 20 international caps and must have played in a world class league of undisputable pedigree for a minimum of five seasons”. In special circumstances that will be determined by the LMC, wavers may be granted in some cases and the Clubs can register such elite players at any point in the season so far they have not exceeded the maximum quota of two in the season.
Already, Enyimba International of Aba may have been the first to take advantage of the project as they are on the verge of presenting former Super Eagles defensive midfielder, Sani Kaita for registration on a short loan stint. South American leagues and South Africa are known to have benefitted hugely from the return of their national stars who made headlines in Europe and it is indeed believed that every South American player, especially Brazil and Argentina always plan to retire from football playing for their domestic league clubs. The LMC said it will also support the project by paying undisclosed stipends to the players in addition to whatever financial arrangements individual players will reach with interested Clubs.
“To encourage the players settle down, the LMC will pay additional stipends that will make life more comfortable to the elite players and help them adjust faster “, Abubakar disclosed.
