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Omidiran hails Globacom over female league sponsorship
Stories by Ejiro
Femi-Babafemi
Reporter, Lagos
NFA board member, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran has
hailed second national telecommunications carrier Globacom for defying the odds
to sponsor the newly created professional female league. She described the deal
as a stepping stone for better things to come for female football in the
country.
Praising the decision of the communications
company, Omidiran noted that it showed they believed in the vision of expanding
the frontiers of the game, which she hinted was at its lowest ebb.
“We have to really thank Globacom because
what has happened is very symbolic. At a time no company was forthcoming,
Globacom took it upon themselves to sponsor the league. Do not forget that they
are also sponsoring the male league,” she said.
Omidiran did not however specify the terms
of agreement as regards the duration of the sponsorship but hinted that N20
million would be committed into the league, which goes professional next year.
The brief ceremony was concluded a fortnight ago between NFA representatives
and officials of Globacom.
Omidiran told Daily Independent that she
was aware of Globacom’s commitment but decided to keep the deal under
wraps pending when all the loose ends would have been firmed up.
She said that now that the sponsor’s
name has been unveiled clubs wishing to participate in the elite league would
now have the opportunity of putting their houses in order. “If it is just
two clubs that abide by the rules they would be in the pro league. No rule is
going to be bent for any club,’ she reiterated. Globacom becomes the second
sponsor of the female league after Pepsi who quit the scene three years ago.
At its last Annual General Meeting, the
Nigeria Football Association announced the take off of the professional female
league from next year after several hitches.
In a similar vein, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran has
described the Super Falcons group for the Africa Women Championship as
relatively easy but urged the team not to underrate their opponents.
Defending champions Nigeria, are drawn in
Group B alongside Algeria, Mali and Cameroun in the 4th African Women
Championship billed for South Africa from September 18 through October 2.
The Super Falcons team B will play their
opening game against Algeria two days after the opening match. Hosts South
Africa open the tournament against the Black Queens of Ghana in Group A. Zimbabwe and Ethiopia are the other
teams in the group.
South Africa would be hosting the
continent's premier female football event for the second time, after hosting it
in 1998. All matches would be played
in the Johannesburg area, with the home ground of Orlando Pirates hosting five
group games. The final will be played on
October 2.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria, the
continent's sole representative at the women's Olympic tournament, holds the
record of winning every African championship since its inception in 1998.
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