By Daily Sports on February 5, 2018

Nigerian Breweries Plc. recently announced that its products -  Star Lager Beer and Amstel Malta will headline its new partnership agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). That is cheering news that the biggest brewery in the country with a tradition of excellence has identified with the apex football governing body in the land despite its obvious shortcomings in the past and present.

Nigeria Breweries interest in sports dates back to when almost all her brands were sponsoring one sports federation or the other. And their full embrace of the NFF was not a surprise to some of us who have been on the sports beat for some decades now. The company is known for its reliability and therefore, the NFF has made one big catch.

The problem with sports in Nigeria is not lack of corporate bodies and individual that would conveniently bankroll sports and take it to greater heights with athletes and coaches being like their foreign counterparts. But a situation where administrators subject athletes and their coaches to abject poverty remains the bane and dark side of sports development in the country.

The way and manner these administrator muddle up things in different sports Federations, National Sports Commission and the Sports Ministry leave sour taste in the mouth. The lack of accountability for huge government allocations to sports readily comes to mind. It has been described in many quarters as being mind burgling. Many investors would not want to put their money into such unsafe areas. It has retarded Nigerian sports and government alone has been sponsoring sports with far between ones from the corporate world. The ones from the corporate world have sadly also found their way into the pockets of these administrators, leaving athletes, coaches and infrastructures government built many years ago to rot away.

Examples are here and there where these administrators look after their pockets first, leaving athletes the reason for their occupying the seat to suffer terribly, some times training in empty stomach.

This very wrong and unwholesome practice has discouraged many private sector organisations and multi nationals from coming near sports as it is done in other parts of the world.

Nigerian sports administrators are people who will readily tell you that where they work is where they eat from. Then what about the athletes and their coaches they shortchange in daylight where will they eat from as they are deprived of their fair share by the administrators and secretaries of all sports federations, NFF inclusive. Such heart excuse from these administrators and their secretaries leave much to desire and throw up the man’s inhumanity to man syndrome.

From the few summaries above, one can easily deduce that administrators and their secretaries are the major problem of sports growth in the country.

It is against this background therefore, that one fears for all these juicy and mouthwatering sponsorships that have been coming to NFF table since Nigeria’s qualification for the World Cup football summit in Russia.

Therefore by the strength of its, Star Lager becoming the Official Alcoholic Drink of the Super Eagles while Amstel Malta is now the Official Malt Drink of the NFF and the National Teams, including Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup –bound Super Eagles, the two brands will be providing support to players and coaching crews, as well as premium satisfaction to passionate fans that will be cheering the Super Eagles and other national teams before, during and after their international matches.

Nigeria Breweries has been there with its brands sponsoring football thereby bringing in confidence to the leadership of NFF that beats its chest and talks loud too to who cares to listen that if corporate giants like NB Plc can venture into our football, which corporate organisation won’t. I often fault them on that and pray that the Brewery continues this gesture for the love of the game, growth of the sport and welfare of players which comes in drops. Foremost, with our large population, Star Lager and Amstel Malt sell out in every outlet whether it is match day or not.

While putting official stamp on the partnership, Mr. Jordi Borrut Bel, MD/CEO, Nigerian Breweries Plc, said: "We are indeed delighted about this partnership between Nigerian Breweries plc and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). This relationship provides us an opportunity to celebrate the true Nigerian spirit that is fuelled by patriotism, passion and desire for victory, through the platform of Football."

As if I read the mind of Mr. Borrut Bel while pleading with the company not to look at the empty and boastful attitude of the NFF leadership but on the passion with which fans consume their brands and carry on with the partnership.

In his own remarks Mr. Franco Maria Maggi, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, stated: "It is an honour for us to start working closely together with the Nigeria Football Federation. This is the culmination of an age–long desire, which Pamodzi Sports Marketing enabled."

He recalled that Star Lager has always been a strong supporter of Nigerian Football and its fans, while Amstel Malta is well known for inspiring people to be the best they can.

"We are dedicated to the growth of Nigerian Football at all levels."

According to him, the organisation is entering this partnership with a focus on a long-term commitment that will support Nigerian Football to reach its full potential. For this, they are thrilled to offer their expertise developed over time leveraging other football assets, with Star Lager, Amstel Malta and Heineken®.

As part of the partnership, a number of activities have been lined up, starting with an official contracts exchange ceremony holding on Friday, February 9, in Lagos.

Maria Maggi added that "Nigerian Breweries Plc wishes to highly applaud the professional conduct and effort of the Nigeria Football Federation and Sponsorship Agency, Pamodzi Sports Marketing, in the delivery of this historic partnership."

An inference here is that the partnership has been sealed and equally delivered. My fears from the onset have been the attitude of NFF to such deals and others. It is in them. Once a  little thing get into their hands, they fill their pockets and ensure that they get their partners angry and call it quits.

I maintain that unless there is attitudinal change on the part of the administrators, this kind of romance with NB Plc may not last as the corporate body has envisages. Can the NFF afford to hide its ugly skin this time around?  Time they said will tell.

They can learn from their counterparts in Europe, Asia and America, and then we can start all over again. But presently, the whole set up is flawed.   …And then, who will bell the cat? I believe that someday, one day a ‘messiah’ will arrive in our sports scene for a comprehensive cleansing and rebuilding.

For now let’s celebrate Nigeria Breweries Plc for their giant strides; for their deep love and passion for the game and for the teeming fans. It is huge and highly appreciated by some of us who understand the implications of such a heavyweight being there.

As it is, let us continue discussion on Twitter, WhatsAPP, Facebook and Linkedin. Keep shooting hard, till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 5, 2018

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