Sports
Dr, Mike Adenuga – Gives Many Lessons For, Nigeria Sports Administrators
Dr. Mike has seen some of the efforts on Nigeria sports how the sports is moving wish could have some change in the Nigeria sports.
Dr. Mike listed many reasons to give Nigeria sports administrators lessons in the following articles below here are what Dr Mike says
Dr. Mike Adenuja
By Onochie Anibeze
Our Premier football league was dead before Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr stepped on board with Globacom.
Globacom’s sponsorship was total. There were innovations. Not long, it was being celebrated as one of the best in the continent. People say whatever he touches turns gold.
Then Chief Adenuga moved to our Super Eagles. Mike Itemuagbor and his Pamodzi sports marketing team presented some brilliant marketing to him. Adenuga, with his eyes for excellence, bought into what Pamodzi offered. Who benefited? Nigerian football. Globacom coughed out about N4billion during the period.
The federation got more for the national teams. Globacom’s sponsorship spread to all the national teams, not just the Super Eagles. Under 17, Under 20, Olympic team, as well as the Falcons all enjoyed the lollipops from Chief Mike Adenuga.
The sponsorship value for the national teams dwarfed that of the league.
Sponsors of teams normally expect values for their actions. They enjoy some visibility that should naturally promote business. Was Adenuga and his Globacom leveraging from their sponsorship? Not really.
Why was the man then spoiling to lift Nigeria through sponsorship of Nigerian football when there was no commensurate return? Patriotism. Simply patriotism. Nothing more. It flows in his blood.
How many Nigerian billionaires can one class along this line?
One may mention Femi Otedola and Tony Elumelu who have, in different ways, been lifting the poor. Chief Mike Adenuga lifts Nigerian organisations, the rich and the poor.
His tentacles are everywhere. Banking, Real Estate, Telecoms, Hospitality etc.
For him, Nigeria comes first, then Africa. Where is the razzmatazz associated with CAF Awards? Africa felt it when Globacom sponsored the Awards.
Globacom made the Awards remarkable. Africa’s biggest stars looked forward to them. So were players, coaches, journalists and all in the football family. We had amazing times.
When Golbacom invited Youssou N’dour to play in the event hosted in Lagos, many marvelled at Adenuga’s depth in the entertainment industry.
Nigerians didn’t celebrate Youssou N’dour the way the world did. He was the first African to play as the key artiste in the opening ceremony of the World Cup.
He was a global figure but not well celebrated in Nigeria.
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Adenuga brought him to play here. What a night it was. Now the CAF awards lacks that Globacom touch and many are craving for a possible return.
Would Adenuga return to sponsoring the CAF Awards? He may if Nigerians will benefit directly from them. He Glos when Nigerians benefit from his ventures. That’s why it’s difficult to stop talking about his patriotism. Almost all of Nigeria’s sports stars and leading lights in the entertainment industry are Globacom Ambassadors. Adenuga rewards their stardom.
When the Super Eagles were surging on in the last Nations Cup in Ivory Coast, Chief Adenuga wanted to reward them out of patriotism. I gathered that huge amount had been approved for that. But since Globacom were not the current official sponsors they withdrew from that gesture lest people tagged it ambush marketing. Playing clean matters to Adenuga in his promotion of any brand. That’s why he held back.
And as our world celebrates Dr. Mike Adenuga who turned 71 on Monday, I send a message to Nigerian sports authorities to renew their drive to court him.
Even if Globacom are not the official sponsors of sports events the patriotism in Dr. Mike Adenuga could always move him to lend a hand. He loves sports. However, from the benefit of hindsight, there’s a caveat. Those running our sports must get their acts together.
Dr. Adenuga may not be lured into sports bodies that are not transparent. When Charles Janarius, Globacom’s former Regional Marketing Director said in 2012, “we have invested N9 billion into sports in nine years that we have exited” they were not done with sports sponsorship.
But they were not being encouraged by the unprofessional ways of those who managed their sponsorship funds. If they are transparent and play their own roles in sports development, Globacom and Mike Adenuga may be at their beck and call.
Sponsors are always attracted by achievements because they need to leverage from the visibility high performance engenders. Why are the sports authorities not asking why the same Globacom is spending hugely, promoting the creative industry?
Adenuga can still compel Globacom to look the way of team sports if corruption by officials of our sports bodies will not deny Nigeria the expectations and results that inspire his goodwill. Dr, Mike Adenuga Jr is not a lost battle for sports federations. They can still court him with professionalism, transparency and high performances. At 71, African blood flows in his veins as David Diop would put it. Let’s celebrate this amiable business mogul of our time and pray that God continues to bless him and spike further the patriotism in him. Nigeria is blessed to have you, sir. Congratulations.
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