By Goodness Ndukuba, Akwa on October 14, 2023

Rangers International F.C has successfully penned a three-year shirt sponsorship deal with an investment firm, Afrinvest at an elaborate event that had the Secretary to Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, and the cream-de-la-cream from the Coal City and beyond witnessing the epoch-making ceremony.

In his speech at the event which is the first of its kind in a long while in the history of the club, the Group Managing Director, Afrinvest, Prince Ike Chioke, described the event as grand and one that has been after his heart as he has been following the team since his primary and secondary days in the city.

“Today brings to fruition six years of trying to bring professional partnership and support to a football team. Indeed, sometime in 2017, I prepared and signed a partnership agreement with Rangers but unfortunately, that deal did not see the light of the day. Having achieved that today, I am ecstatic that I got the opportunity to do something with the team. 

"You know, technical capacity is not only what makes a team. You can have a group of young men who can play very well but the issue of how you take care of them, the medical insurance, their traveling plans, and others, if not well handled will gradually eat into the expected results.

“The Afrinvest coming behind Rangers, what we want to do, we came up with the mantra, ‘Finance meets Football’ to ensure that the footballers have all that they need to concentrate and play football. 

"It is our dream to see every football player in Rangers succeed professionally. 

"This will no doubt form part of not only our Corporate Social Responsibility but also build it around youth empowerment and development” stated the financial investment guru.

Prof. Onyia in his speech, praised the tremendous positive changes that have happened in the club since the appointment of Barr. Amobi Ezeaku as the G.M/CEO of Rangers.

He stressed that the sponsorship deal that was consummated goes a long way to show that Rangers was on its way towards rediscovering its nearly lost glory that was the pride of not only the Igbo race but the entire Nigeria.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Enugu state,  Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu praised the management of Rangers and officials of Afrinvest for the ground-breaking event while charging the players of the team to push hard on the field of play to ensure that followers of the club have something to celebrate. At the same time, the partnership lasted.

He added that, “For taking this bold step to get this sponsorship, the management has shown doggedness, creativity and I commend them and their new partners, Afrinvest whose G.M.D, Prince Ike Chioke have never ceased to display his love for things that concern the development of Enugu state.”

In his opening remarks,  Barr. Amobi Ezeaku, the G.M/CEO of Rangers went down memory lane to capture the struggles that led to the formation of the team with a lot of victories to celebrate the efforts of the foundation members of the club on the field of play.

He described the sponsorship deal with Afrinvest as the best thing to have happened to the team in its quest to re-brand, re-organize, re-launch and rediscover the winning touch that Rangers is revered for.

“Afrinvest and Rangers are on a mission to dominate Africa. We would dominate the world but that would be after dominating Africa. Rangers and our new shirt sponsor, Afrinvest are two great institutions with great potential. 

"We share a relationship. When finance meets with football, magic happens,” stated the youngest club chairman in the country.

Top stakeholders that witnessed this grand event, include the C.O.O of the Nigeria Premier League, Prince Davidson Owumi who presented a goodwill message from the chairman of the NPFL board, Gbenga Elegbeleye; legends of the club, Chairman Christian Chukwu Mfr; Emmanuel Okala M.O.N; and many others.

The three-year sponsorship deal will see Rangers rake in fifty million naira every season that the deal is consummated.

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted October 14, 2023

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