The new Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation has hit the ground running in its determination to give assurance to current partners and woo more sponsors, with a visit to the corporate headquarters of Guinness Nigeria PLC and ARIK Airline on Friday.
The high –powered team led by NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, also included 1st Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, Chairman of the newly –constituted Marketing, Sponsorship and Television Advisory Committee, Emeka Inyama, NFF Marketing Consultant, Mr. Mike Itemuagbor and Director of Marketing, Mr. Adama Idris.
Speaking to a Guinness team led by the Managing Director, Mr. Seni Adetu and also including the company’s top management, Pinnick expressed heartfelt appreciation to the company for its support for Nigeria football over the years and assured that the new Executive Committee very much desires to continue to partner with the establishment.
“We thank you for your huge support to the NFF, Nigeria football and the National Teams for so many years now. This is to assure you that the new board wants to continue to partner with you and also to ensure that you gain maximum mileage from this partnership.
“Our vision is to relate professionally with our partners and ensure they reap maximum mileage in return for what they put into the system to support our teams. We will also be very transparent in what we do with your money and be accountable at all times,” Pinnick said.
Responding, Guinness MD, Mr. Seni Adetu thanked the new NFF board for the visit and particularly expressed delight at the youthfulness of the new NFF President.
“We are happy to have a young man at the fore this time. It is reassuring. Guinness Nigeria PLC has remained a strong partner of the NFF and the National Teams over the years, in rain and sunshine. We have no regrets whatsoever.
“I want to assure you that wherever there are grey areas, we will jointly sit down and look at them and address this in order to have an even stronger and better partnership.”
Guinness Nigeria PLC has been a strong and reliable partner of the NFF for several years now. Apart from duly fulfilling its contractual obligations, the company sponsored the high –profile international friendly between the Super Eagles and the senior team of Argentina in Abuja on June 1, 2011, hosted the Eagles to a lavish reception in Lagos following the team’s triumph at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and branded the Super Eagles’ house wear at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.
The NFF team also visited the offices of leading Nigeria airline, ARIK where they met with the Public Relations and Communications Manager, Mr. Adebanji Ola.
Pinnick said: “We have a high opinion of ARIK Airline as the leading airline in the country and would like to partner with you as the Official Airline of NFF. This would mean flying the National Teams within and outside the country.”
Ola was excited to meet with the new NFF leadership and assured that the airline would be delighted to take up the role and in fact, be part of any engagement that will enhance the status of Nigeria football at home and internationally.
The visit to Lagos was the first phase of President Pinnick’s planned visits to all sponsors and potential sponsors of the NFF and the National Teams.
