Enyimba Seek NFA's Help in Face Off with Gulder
Shirt endorsement controversy
By Tunde Sulaiman
African champions Enyimba has begun moves to settle their face off with Nigerian Breweries (NB Plc) over their controversial decision to accept a shirt sponsorship deal with the second national carrier Globacom.
The three-times Nigerian league champions had already entered into a four-year deal with the breweries' giant to endorse one of NB Plc's prime products Gulder when it then accepted a bigger offer from the communication's outfit to allow Globacom be embossed on their shirts.
Warnings by the beer company that such a move would be in breach of an existing contract fell on deaf ears and the Aba-based club went on to accept Globacom's N100m deal prompting NB plc to head to court in order to protect its rights.
NB Plc and Enyimba had agreed to a four-year deal worth N24 million two years ago. Its chairman Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu signed the agreement on behalf of the club.
On Tuesday lawyers for the Globacom Premier League champions formerly wrote the Iganmu-based brewery company asking them to tarry awhile with the court process in order to allow for more time to find an amicable settlement.
Specifically the Chairman of the Peoples' Elephants, as Enyimba is fondly called, said they were looking at the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to help work out an acceptable solution agreeable to both parties.
But sources close to NB Plc told THISDAYSports that the only way the company would cease legal action would be if Enyimba kept to their original contract.
THISDAYSports reliably learnt that what further galled the brewery giants was the refusal of the other party to agree to a shirt endorsement sharing deal.
"We were even ready to agree to allow for both of our products to be put on the club's jerseys after all we are not in the same business. But all our overtures for such an arrangement were rebuffed. So we were left with no other option than to seek legal re-dress to enforce our rights," said the official.
The Glass House has found itself in a very difficult position in an effort to amicable solution to the problem that has pitted two of the biggest backers of football against each other.
While Globacom has concentrated on the international scene with the Super Eagles NB Plc has focussed on the domestic scene sponsoring eight clubs in the league. Some of the clubs that received various sums of money to endorse the Gulder brand include Enyimba, Rangers, Sharks, 3SC and BCC Lions.
Meanwhile, key Enyimba midfielder Musa Aliyu is confident that the momentum that ensured sweeping victories against Africa Sports and Insurance will also take them past rivals Dolphin on August 5.
"Kaduna is a neutral ground in every sense. We need a win to catch up the leaders and that is our aim," Aliyu said. "We are out to exact revenge for the defeat they inflicted on us in the first round in Aba, which started all our problems. So we will even be disappointed with a draw. It's pay back time."
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