Daily Independent Online.
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Thursday, July 01, 2004.
Team
Nigeria opens Athens 2004 funds drive in Lagos
By Ben Alaiya
Group
Sports Editor
At least five state governors, including
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos are expected at the Lagoon Restaurant,
Victoria Island on Monday evening when Team Nigeria storms there to solicit for
funds from Corporate Nigeria under the aegis of the Nigerian Stock Exchange for
the Athens 2004 Olympics.
The visit, which is the first leg of a
five-leg campaign for funds across the country is expected to be graced by the major players in corporate
Nigeria according to Team Nigeria Co-Ordinator, Nkechi Obi.
She revealed that the idea behind the new
chase for funds is to be able to continue the tradition started by Team Nigeria
at the Abuja 2003 All Africa Games, where athletes who excelled were lavishly
rewarded right there at the games venue. “We want to sustain a tradition
that will see athletes useful to themselves during and after their active days
as sports persons and we know we can’t do it without the support of
Corporate Nigeria”.
The other legs of the tour will take
officials of Team Nigeria led by General Manager, Chief Patrick Ekeji to Port
Harcourt for the South South Zonal showcase on Thursday July 8, it would be the
turn of the South West at Abeokuta, Ogun State on July 15, Minna will host the
North Central on July 22, while the cosmopolitan city of Kano will take its
turn for the North West zone on July 29.
The tour for funds is expected to climax on
August 5 in Abuja, the Federal Capital when officials are expected to reveal
what gold, silver and bronze medallists will get for their performance at
Athens 2004.
Obi again assured that the Team Nigeria
project has come to stay and will continue to form the focal point of a
determined effort to make sports sponsorship a corporate thing, instead of
saddling government with the task. “Sports administrators and athletes
will become more accountable if they know that those they collect money from
will some time in the nearest future demand to know how the last contribution
was spent to the last kobo”, she said.
