Ogunsaya’s Goal, Alumona’s Gold

by Emeka Obasi

LAGOS, NIGERIA -Those who use politics to confuse Nigerians must see the bond created by soccer in the last Naija Super8 Championships. At a time the polity was smeared with bloody interventions, Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya made a bold statement.

His Flykite Promotions is piloted by Jenkins Alumona. Naija Super8 brought compatriots together in Lagos. There was no ethnic colouration to the entertainment offered at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena. Football brought relief to citizens who have been pauperized these past eight years by inept leadership.

Ogunsanya, the Odofin Erujaje of Ikorodu, pumped in money to bring back our football. I thought Alumona was flying a kite until Uyo hosted the  Super8 play – off. Each of the 12 teams received two million naira cash from Flykite Promotions in addition to more, to  offset travel and accommodation.

The eight teams that made it to Lagos smiled home with quite some cash. In the early round, each game played fetched three million naira. The import is that teams that did not make it to the semi finals, bagged at least,  nine million naira each.

Sporting Lagos, winners of the trophy, earned 37 million naira while grand finalists, Remo Stars, got 21 million naira. It was not all about teams. Man of the Match attracted 250 thousand naira and each member of the  Team of the Tournament received 100 thousand naira. Fans were not left out.

I must commend Flykite for making this possible. They tried it with boxing through the GOtv Television Show. Memories were relived. The country of Hogan Bassey and Dick Tiger Ihetu was entertained by a new generation of budding stars.

The Super8 Championships took us all back to the glory years of yore. Families came out to grace Onikan. We saw capacity crowd, which the Super Eagles have not been able to generate of late. And there was music to flow with it all.

Ogunsanya had every reason to stay away from soccer. He funded Ikorodu United with over 300 million naira, for starters. Players were well paid and an estate was built for management at Parafa. It was a well thought idea that ended in exasperation.

Alumona has sad stories to tell. Arrested in 1997 by the Department of State Services right within the Nigeria Television Authority premises, Lagos and flown to Abuja, folks expected him to Japa. He refused and has continued to think outside the box.

Instead of running away from TV, Alumona is drawing even closer. Thanks to Chief Ogunsanya, Super8 sponsors, Supersport beamed all matches live on DSTV and GOtv. Pepsi, MTN and Moniepoint got involved as well.

He talked about the new deal. ” Chief Ogunsanya ( SAN ) as Chairman of Flykite drives our commitment to excellence and attention to detail. We activate, based on his vision, ” Alumona said.

Flykite is looking ahead. “We are still conducting a post mortem of the first edition but we expect to progress in a number of areas including the quality of reward for the teams, officiating and fan participation.

” As we gain the attention we deserve and with it the sponsorship value we require, VAR is one of the earliest investments we will make. This year, we acquired communication tools for the referees at a great cost, considering that we are just starting. Fan investment is Central to Naija Super8. We learnt a lot and will apply this in the coming year”, he emphasised.

This soccer Revolution must be sustained. In the 1970s, top teams from around the globe played friendlies here. Borussia Monchengladbach visited in 1975 with five members of the 1974 World Cup winning German national team. Enugu Rangers beat them 3-1 at Sportscity.

Csepel of Hungary forced Stationery Stores to a draw. OFK Belgrade defeated Lagos NEPA. They came when we had teams that drew spectators and offered entertainment. Today, no serious European club looks this way because there is nothing to offer.

It is good news that the two finalists, Sporting Lagos and Remo Stars, are owned by great investors. Shola Akinlade is co-founder of Paystack and owns Danish second division club, Aarhus Fremad. Kunle Soname is the man behind Value Jet Airlines, Bet9ja and Feirense, a Portuguese Second Division side.

Alumona has gone round. From the Guardian to the News, Mastersports, Quadrant, Econet Wireless and Globacom. He holds a chain of degrees and certificates, from the old Anambra State University of Technology, the University of Lagos and Harvard.

Ogunsanya has gone beyond Law as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Many know him as the chairman of Multichoice Nigeria. Few are aware that the company is independent of South Africa. His marks are widespread, in real estate, communications and philanthropy.

These are the men who are breathing life into our football. They lose nothing if they face other ventures but the joy of citizens is their major driving force. I am happy that soccer has come back to Lagos where things happened.

Yes, football was introduced in 1902 through Calabar, by James Luke, principal of Hope Waddell Training Institute. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was an old boy of the school but played soccer in Lagos for Diamond. Now Flykite has made Lagos golden again and Nigerians are breathing.