Sharing Nigeria’s soccer glory

By Atim Nkese Nkpubre

“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vidal Sasson.

When British born hair-care magnate, businessman and philanthropist, Vidal Sasson, uttered these words of wisdom, he, certainly, was not thinking about the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, but the saying of the man whose forward-thinking techniques and innovative style revolutionised the hair industry,
have shone through and aptly captures the circumstances surrounding the victory of the Nigerian team at the recently concluded 29th African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.

Penultimate Sunday, the Super Eagles of Nigeria were crowned Football Champions of Africa after defeating the Stallions of Burkina Faso by a lone goal at the National Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, to win a third Nations Cup title and by so doing, ending almost two decades of woe in the tournament.

The success of the Super Eagles at the Orange Africa Cup of Nations has not only restored dignity to Nigerian football, but has also awakened the hopes and aspirations of a football loving nation even as it has re-energised our collective belief in the Nigerian dream. The victory was as surprising as it is delightful and filled with many life-long lessons.

Prior to the tournament, no one gave the Super Eagles of Nigeria a chance and their shaky start at the event didn’t seem to help matters, either. Our players were branded as “too young, too inexperienced,” and at best classified as ‘local players’ by analysts and football experts, but trust Nigerians, we are blessed with the uncanny ability to up our game and reinvent ourselves, especially at very trying moments when everyone would have given up on us. We hold the ace to springing surprises! Trust me.

Thus the Nigerian national team provided the perfect closing act for the 23-day continental soccer fiesta, when they lifted their third African Cup of Nations trophy to the glory of God and to the eternal shame of the devil! (Yes o, there appears to be a devil factor in the scheme of most things here). I am a Nigerian. Anything is indeed, possible where the Nigerian is involved. Only believe!

But seriously, like the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi has rightly admitted, Nigeria does not lack talents in the area of football, or any other sphere of life for that matter. According to Abdulahi, “We (only) need to put our house in order and provide the enabling environment and the appropriate context for those talents to be developed for the desired objectives.”

The Eagles got it right this time around, confirming the words of Wayne Dyer to the effect that, “true nobility is not about being better than anyone else, it’s about being better than you used to be.” The Super Eagles are better than they used to be and are reaping the fruits of their labour and proving that the grass is, indeed, greener where you water it.

The Nigerian Football Federation and the Sports Ministry, reportedly, did not interfere with the coach and his selection. Friendly matches were also arranged in the build up to the tournament to build the capacity and cohesion of the team. It would appear that the coach was given a free hand to select his players from the Nigerian local leagues.

Nigeria is known for its love for the round leather game. It was therefore not a surprise when an appreciative nation welcomed back its heroes with a standing ovation and full honours. Members of the team and their officials arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, into the waiting arms of an ecstatic crowd of supporters. Both players and their coaches were treated to a state banquet by President Goodluck Jonathan, where they were showered withcash rewards, plots of land in the Federal Capital Territory and various national honours. Talk about success being sweet and the Eagles can readily testify to that.

Notable Nigerians have also donated various cash gifts to the Eagles in a typical “my jet is bigger than yours” fashion. Globacom Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga, gave $1m while Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and former Group Managing Director of the United Bank for Africa Plc donated $500,000, same as Sir Emeka Offor to the victorious team. Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote gave N5million to each of the players, while the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola also gave N59 million to the team. More donations could still be pouring in as I write.

Expectedly, corporate organisations in Nigeria have also latched on to the success of the Super Eagles to raise the marketing value of their various products and services. Brand custodians across several industries have risen to the occasion by taking their brands where the action is, and leveraging the associative imagery of the victorious Super Eagles and the trophy to increase awareness and goodwill for their respective brands. Everyone seems to be making up for the lost opportunity to showcase their brand in the course of the tournament, owing to the blackout of local television stations from broadcasting the African Cup of Nations. A few of the brands deserve a mention here for their effort.

Arik Air: The company that prides itself as “Nigeria’s largest commercial airline” and “the wings of Nigeria,” maximally leveraged the opportunity of conveying the Eagles home from South Africa when its Public Relations and Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola, promptly issued a press statement last Monday in Lagos, subtly drawing our collective attention to the confidence of the Nigerian government in the airline and its ability to fly the newest African Champions home safely, especially in an industry with a poor safety record.

According to Ola, “The Federal Government had approached Arik Air management to carry out this national assignment as it did in 2010, when the airline provided aircraft that conveyed the Super Eagles to Durban for the World Cup in Luanda, Angola.” Well done Ola. The PR profession has a bright future in people like you, but pray, was this a business arrangement with money exchanging hands or an altruistic national assignment carried out free of charge as your release would tend to suggest?

Stanbic IBTC Bank: on its part has embarked on a massive outdoor campaign in honour of the victorious Eagles, erecting boards at strategic locations to felicitate with the Eagles.

Luna Milk: We’ve also seen advertisements from Luna Milk that reads. “Luna Milk congratulates the Nation and the Super Eagles on their outstanding performance at the AFCON 2013 in South Africa, Today, as our nation basks in the euphoria of this victory, let’s think: One Nation, One Cup, One Milk.” Really?

Hyundai: Korean Automobile company, Hyundai, aside congratulating the Eagles on their feat also listed out its sales hotlines as well as office locations across the country on the same full page advert, just in case anyone is thinking of buying Korean cars for the boys, family or office, perhaps. Smart guys!

Visionary Leadership: The advert from Visionary Leadership is great and straight to the point.”When President Goodluck Jonathan GCFR, convened the first-ever Presidential Retreat on Sports last year, detractors dubbed it a jamboree… But that was the beginning of the transformation in the sports sectors. He gave matching orders to the Minister of Sports to bring back the glorious days of sports excellence in Nigeria…” let me add…and pronto, the cup landed on our laps. We, really, do appreciate the faith and commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan in helping to reposition the Sport Ministry in general, but as anyone knows, winning a tournament of AFCON calibre goes beyond presidential marching orders…, otherwise every country would be a winner.

Centenary Team: The Centenary team in its centre-spread advert thinks the achievement is “A great way to kick-off the centenary celebration”. I aggre. End of story.

Cadbury Nigeria Limited, makers of Tom Tom – official candy of the Super Eagles is not left out of the mix. Success, indeed, has many fathers, especially among us, while failure is considered an orphan!

Above all, Guinness Nigeria Plc deserves commendation for its firm belief and commitment to the Super Eagles and for stepping forward to be counted at a time when the team appeared to have lost it in the AFCON terrain. The company gave its corporate support to the national team when it wasn’t fashionable to do so and at a time the Super Eagles of Nigeria didn’t seem to hold the desired value and prestige, making quite a few brands to distance their logos from the team. Guinness stance then seemed to have confirmed the idiom that says “if you don’t take a chance, you probably don’t even stand a chance.”

The overriding lesson of the scenario is that “if you are going to fear anything, fear SUCCESS. Think about what you are doing and when you succeed what life you will have.” Now the Super Eagles have become the beautiful brides sought after by every suitor. Ha, success is sweet, indeed!

No one should envy Guinness and the massive media mileage it is reaping on account of its sponsorship of the national team, proving once again the potency of sponsorship as an invaluable marketing tool. We give kudos to Guinness for keeping faith with the team all the way. The Super Eagles have landed and can come drink at the table of men, while the rest of us will keep pushing until we reach our goals.

Members of the victorious team on their own have been basking in the euphoria of their victory, their new found superstar status and are savouring their moment in the sun. Their sporting accomplishment has not only helped in restoring dignity to Nigerian football, the players have also written their names on the indelible sands of time.

The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmnauel Uduaghan, has promptly named the Asaba Stadium after Stephen Keshi who led Nigeria to win the AFCON title. The big boss, Keshi, has laid a solid foundation with his crop of players and deserves to be celebrated. What’s more, Keshi ranks among the very few that have won the AFCON Cup both as players and as coaches.

Even though transfer window to Western Europe is shut, opportunities in the international arena are beginning to beckon on the victorious Super Eagles. Two-goal AFCON hero and Warri Wolves player, 24 year old Sunday Mba, is said to have received 16 concrete offers from great football club sides, including Bundesliga outfit Bayern Leverkusen and Dinamo Zagreb, among several others that are reportedly chasing after Mba. Well, success is what you do, not what you think.

From the team at David and Destiny PR Consulting, the unofficial PR partner of the Super Eagles, (Yes, we too nah, by fire, by force) and The Communicat! Shine on Eagles. You can count on our moral support all the time. We sincerely want you to defend your hard earned AFCON Champions title in Morocco come 2015.

Ha, is that happening in 2015? That’s a loaded year when Nigerians would be on the march again in search of Mr. President, Senators, Governors, Local Government Chairmen and Councillors among several other elected officials. Hm. Well, I think it is too early in the day for us to disclose our full sponsorship intent concerning the Super Eagles. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, let us focus on the job at hand even as we weed out every such distractive thoughts. Nigeria we hail thee. Carry go Super Eagles. No shaking!