But he doesn't do him or anybody else any good if he bolts from law enforcement agencies

Lagos, Nigeria

Confederation of African Football (CAF) has given Globacom chairman Mike Adenuga its highest honour of Order of Merit in Gold crowning him Pillar of Football in Africa.

Adenuga, along with Sudan's President, Beshir al-Bashir, and the heads of state of CAF founding fathers - Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa was so honoured at CAF's General assembly in Khartoum, Sudan, which was part of the events marking the confederation's Golden Jubilee celebrations.


According to a CAF offical, Adenuga has been personally involved in promoting and developing football not only in his country but across the continent. It was therefore very easy to get the executive committee to agree to bestow on him our highest honour.

Without a doubt, Adenuga is the Pillar of African Football.

Adenuga, through his telecommunications company Globacom, has been bank rolling the CAF awards since 2005.

Globacom is also the title sponsor of the Nigerian Premier League for the next four years as well as the major sponsor of the countrya-s national teams.

The company has also in the past been the shirt sponsor of two-time African champions Enyimba.

Ghana’s Minister of Presidential Affairs, Mr Kwawo Mpiani, has proclaimed Globacom Limited, Africa's fastest growing telecommunication network, as a credible and good corporate citizen that should be invited to invest in Ghana, just as he commended the company for donating one billion cedis to Ghana's historic 50th Independence Anniversary.

At a presentation ceremony held at the presidential Castle, Osu, Accra on Thursday, Mr Mpiani who doubles as the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, thanked Globacom for its generous donation to Ghana's 50th Independence Anniversary celebration even though it has not started operating in Ghana.

Mr. Mpiani, who is also the Chairman of the National Planning Committee of the 50th Independence Anniversary, said he was particularly impressed with Globacom's operational achievements within just three-and-a-half years in operation.

"We have investigated you and confirmed that you are a credible organisation. I am happy to note the rapid progress made by your company within such a short time. This is a rare achievement and yours is the kind of corporate citizens that should be invited to invest in Ghana", he said.

He pledged the support of the people and government of Ghana to Globacom. Globacom's Head of New Markets and Special Projects, Mr. Yinka Olafimihan, who presented the cheque of one billion cedis to the Chief of Staff on behalf of Globacom Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr, said the donation "is a token of our love and admiration to the government and good people of this great country. We believe that we do not have to wait till we launch our operation in Ghana before contributing our own little quota to your celebrations".

He commended the government and people of Ghana for nurturing peace and tranquility in the country and for their friendly disposition towards investors.

"We wish to note that since we expressed our interest to do business in Ghana, we have been accepted with open arms by both the people and government.

"Let us assure you that we see Ghana as home. We want to be an integral part of your life as we have been in Nigeria in the past three-and-a-half years", Olafimihan told the Chief of Staff.

Earlier, Globacom had also donated US$50,000 to the CAN 2008 Business Club in Accra as a modest contribution towards the successful hosting of the 2008 African Cup of Nations by Ghana.

Globacom Limited began operation in Nigeria in August 2003 as the country’s second national telecommunications carrier.

In line with its vision of building the biggest and most efficient telecommunications network in Africa, Globacom quickly deployed its world class telecommunications infrastructure across Nigeria, crashing the cost of telephony in the country and introduced innovative products and services.

Regarded as Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, Globacom raised the bar on value propositions for subscribers by introducing onto the market a bouquet of products and services, including Per Second Billing, Mobile Internet and Blackberry. The network has also successfully conducted a 3G trial.

Over the past three and a half years, Globacom has endeared itself to Nigerian telecommunication subscribers as a compassionate and socially responsible corporate entity with a strong tradition of giving back to the society.

The company sponsored the 2003 All Africa Games held in Nigeria even when it had not fully launched its operations in the country and is currently the official sponsor of the Nigerian Premier League (Christened The Globacom Premier League).

Globacom is also the official sponsor of all the national teams of Nigeria and it recently took up the responsibility of paying the salary of Mr. Berti Vogts, the new Technical Director of the Super Eagles from now till the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

All these factors contributed towards making Globacom the fastest growing telecommunications network in Africa, serving over 12 million subscribers across Nigeria.

The company took over the sponsorship of CAF’s Annual Awards ceremony in 2005 and has since transformed the event into the biggest sports fiesta on the continent.

The prestigious continental 2006 GLO-CAF Awards was incorporated into the itinerary of Ghana's 50th anniversary celebrations earlier in February when Ghana@ 50 Chairman, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby met with Globacom’s Director of Promotions, Events & Sponsorship, Mr. Folu Aderibigbe.

The main GLO-CAF Awards event, slated for March 1, 2007 at the Accra International Conference Centre, will be graced by the Presidents of the Republic of Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Benin Republic, stars of the as well as the awards nominees and the CAF President, Alhaji Issa Hayatou and his executive committee members.

Can IBB and Adenuga do any wrong in your eyes?. . .You hold on tight to these guys' balls for whatever reason.

Towards ensuring a successful campaign for the Super Eagles in the Ghana 2008 Nations Cup qualifiers, Globacom Limited, the sponsor of the National teams will, on Thursday, extend the sponsorship contract of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC).

The presentation will coincide with the official visit of the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Engineer Bawa Ka’oje to Globacom. It is the first visit of the NSC boss to a corporate organisation in his new capacity.

The NFSC had, in 2003, signed a N10million per annum five-year sponsorship deal with Globacom, but sources say the fee may be revised upwards at the ceremony billed for the Mike Adenuga Towers corporate headquarters of the telecommunication giant.

“Nigerians are passionate about football and the success of the Super Eagles and the other national teams bring greater joy to our people, hence Globacom will support every institution and effort that will make Nigeria rule the world of football,” remarked Harry Iwuala of Globacom Sponsorship Department.

Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, the President-General of NFSC spent the better part of last week with Globacom officials, discussing the 2007 football calendar. “Globacom remains the No1 supporter of football in Nigeria, not just for the money they are committing to the game but also the ideas. It is a company with a passion for football and the Supporters Club will always identify with them in their plans to take our football to new heights”, Ladipo said.

Ladipo recalled that in the last three years, Globacom has positively touched all sectors of Nigerian football with the most recent being the hiring of an expatriate coach for the national team. “For us in the football family, Globacom is our champion brand because it is a company that has identified with us from the grassroots to the highest level. We have to specially thank Dr. Mike Adenuga, the Chairman of Globacom for his generosity and total support for football, most especially, the hiring of Berti Vogts for our national teams”, the Supporters Club boss stated.
Globacom is the title sponsor of the Nigeria Premier League and Official Partner of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA).

February 22, 2007

ON MARCH 1, the entire continent and Accra in particular will stand still as soccer greats will converge at the Accra International Conference Centre for the GLOBACOM CAF Awards.

And before the big event, the sponsors of the event, GLOBACOM Limited, Nigeria's second National Telecommunication operator has given the assurance that the stage is set for the much-anticipated ceremony.


At a press briefing at the Alisa Hotel in Accra yesterday, the Head of Public Relations and Outdoor Advertising of GLOBACOM, Mr. Bode Opeseitan gave the media the assurance that plans are far advanced to fly down the three nominees gunning for the top-most award-Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'O Fils.

"Dr. Mike Adenuga, Chairman of GLOBACOM, has put private jets at the disposal of the nominees and we are not just interested in flying down the three nominees, but striving to bring down former soccer greats," he said.

He said their quest to achieve that dream has seen his outfit traveling across Europe and parts of Africa to contact high profile soccer stars as Zambia's Kalusha Bwalya, Roger Mila, Thomas Nkono of Cameroun, Laurent Pokou of Cote d'Ivoire, Segun Odegbami, Stephen Keshi, Augustine Eguavoen of Nigeria, Egypt's Hossan Hassam, Mamoud El-Khateeb and of course maestro Abedi Ayew Pele, Marcel Desaily and Tony Yeboah, among others.

Mr. Opeseitan added that the event will be managed by True Colours Group, a South African Events Management Company, and in their pursuit to improve and add style to this African event, music artistes such as Ghana's Batman Samini, Nigeria's Lagbaja , Yvonne Chaka Chaka of South Africa, Petit Megelito of Benin and Soweto Gospel Choir are expected in Accra to grace the occasion.

Having sponsored the awards for five years, GLOBACOM said they are determined to take the event to new heights.

FA Chairman, Sani Lulu Abdulahi for the umpteenth time denied meeting any dime in the coffers of the Nigeria Football Association saying that they had written formally to former Chairman, Ibrahim Galadima to come forward and explain where he left the $1.5 million dollars he allegedly left behind.

“I’ve read stories where Galadima said that he left $1.5 million for NFA. I did not meet any dime but inherited N300 million debt. I have written formally inviting Galadima to come and help us unravel the mystery over the missing money”, Lulu said. The Chairman said that he had difficult times operating without cash when he assumed office. “It was Dr Mike Adenuga that came to our rescue. He was like an Angel.

Without any prompting, he gave the FA N210 million. It was the money that we used to prosecute the Nations Cup qualifier against Lesotho and the hordes of hoteliers that were breathing down on me. Honestly, Glo is a friend in need”. Lulu who accompanied NSC Chairman Bala Bawa Ka’Oje to Globacom’s renewing of a N15 million contract with Supporters Club said.

Ka’Oje praised Globacom’s praised Globacom’s stride in sports development in the country noting that President Obasanjo was appreciative of their contributions. He however assured Nigerians that the coming of German coach, Berti Vogts(courtesy of Globacom) would bring joy to millions of soccer fans. “With Vogts, Nigeria will emerge winners in any competition we enter into.

We’ll represent Africa well in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He will propel us back to our position of pride in the FIFA ranking. I am happy to come to say thank you to Glo and to also admire this massive and beautiful structure called Mike Adenuga Towers”, he said as rapturous applause followed.
President General of Supporters Club, Dr Rafiu Ladipo with his army of supporters thrilled the audience and praised glo to high heavens.

Cemerounians Roger Milla and Thomas Nkono, 1988 African best footballer, Kalusha Bwalya, Nigerian Segun 'Mathematical' Odegbami, Ghana's Abedi Pele and Anthony Yeboah are among African football living legends who will converge at the Accra 'Pink Lady' (International Conference Centre) next week to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the continent's game in 2006 at the Glo-CAF Awards gala.

Other soccer greats expected in town include Egyptians Hossam Hassan and Mahmoud El Kateeb, Togo's Nigerian coach, Stephen Keshi, and ex-Nigeria coach Agustine Eguavoen, Ghana-born French star, Marcel Desailly, and Laurent Pokou, the Ivorian great who is the all-time leading scorer in African Cup of Nations history.

Together with some of Africa's premier music artistes like South African songstress Yvonne Chaka Chaka, the masked Lagbadja of Nigeria and the Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir and Ghanaian hiplife star Batman Samini, the Accra International Conference Centre will host perhaps the biggest football gala event to take place in the city in recent times.

With President John Agyekum Kufuor in attendance as the Special Guest of Honour, the 'Pink Lady' will roll out the red carpet for the biggest achievers in African football is 2006 in a showbiz-style atmosphere where the Head of State will receive the Glo-CAF Platinum Award.

It is an honour instituted last year for government officials who have used their office to promote the development of football and foster peace in Africa.

Last year host president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria received the award at the inaugural Glo-CAF Awards held in the Nigerian captial, Abuja.

All eyes, though, will be on Ghana's star player Michael Essien and his Chelsea teammate, Didier Drogba, and Camerounian Samuel Eto'o who will compete for the coveted crown of 2006 African Footballer of the Year, the highlight of the night’s event.

In a no-expense-sparred approach, Nigerian cellular communication giant, Globalcom, is sending two private aircraft belonging to its founder, Dr Mike Adenuga Jnr., to Europe to ensure that Essien, Drobga and Eto'o are all present at the event which will attract the glitterati in African football led by CAF President Alhaji Issa Hayatou, Ghana government officials and corporate heavyweights from Ghana and Nigeria.

Mr Bode Opeseitan, Globalcom's Head of Public Relations and Outdoor Advertising, told a news conference in Accra last Wednesday that the company has put in measures to ensure that most of the award winners are present at the ceremony.

"Globalcom is not just concerned with the attendance of the top three nominees; we are also striving to bring to Accra the nominees in all 13 categories, as well as former African stars and leading football personalities," Mr Opeseitan said.

Eto’o has won the African prize for three years and could win an unprecedented fourth continental prize on March 1 in Accra.

Apart from Essien who will seek to become only the fourth Ghanaian after Ibrahim Sunday, Abdul Razak and Abedi Pele to be crowned African best footballer, Ghana will be strongly represented in other categories of the awards.

Black Stars and Udinese striker Asamoah Gyan is one of three contestants for the Young Player of the Year prize, Black Queens' Sheila Okine will seek to follow the footsteps of Alberta Sackey and Adjoa Bayor to become the third Ghanaian to win the African best female footballer award.

Okine competes with Nigeria's Cynthia Uwak and Portia Modise of South Africa.

The Black Stars, Africa's best performer at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, will vie for the National Team of the Year Award with the Super Eagles of Nigeira and Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire.

The awards had been tied to Ghana’s independence golden jubilee anniversary, and as a result many leading figures in the corporate world, government officials and other Ghanaian football personalities and hordes of jouurnalists will be in attendance.

Information gathered by the Graphic Sports indicates that a large Nigerian delegation of about 300 led by Globalcom’s Dr Adenuga Jnr., the grand patron of the event, are expected in the country early next week for the gala night.

As the clock ticks on the Glo/CAF African Footballer of the Year Award, officials of the sponsoring company Globacom said arrangements have been made to fly in African football legends from their respective abode for the awards billed for March 1 in Accra, Ghana.

Globacom chief operating officer, Muhammad Jameel disclosed yesterday that, African greats like Roger Milla of Cameroon, Kalusha Bwalya of Zambia, Marcel Dasailly and others have all given their nod to attend the occasion.


In addition, West African head of states like Olusegun Obasanjo, Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin Republic and Togo's Faure Gnassingbe have all given their consent to attend, others who were invited are still being expected to respond.

"Everything is on course we intend to make a show of the awards; we are going to fly in almost all the 13 nominees.

"Being a Nigerian company it is going to be a Nigerian show, and we have lined up great Nigerian artists. There is also others from Benin Republic and Ghana," Jameel added.

Officials of English Premier League side, Chelsea FC on Friday formally informed the Confederation of
African Football (CAF) and Awards sponsors, Globacom Limited that the duo of Michael Essien and Didier Drogba have been released to attend the 2006 Glo-CAF Awards ceremony in Accra, Ghana.
Drogba, the Ivorien star and his team-mate, Essien of
Ghana are among the top three African players in contention for the prestigious Glo-CAF Player of the Year award holding on Thursday.
Suleiman Habuba, CAF Director who was in London with Mike Ituemagbor, consultant to Globacom, revealed that the players were released with a letter signed by the Secretary of the London club on Friday, February 23.
Suleiman said the release of the players was sequel to series of meetings initiated by Mr. Itemuagbor following initial refusal of the club management to let the stars attend the ceremony.
However, Itemuagbor, the Chief Executive Officer of
Pamodzi Sports Marketing, attributed the breakthrough to the support of Dr.Mike Adenuga, whom he said was very accommodating of the conditions set forth by Chelsea club officials.
On the initial difficulties to secure the release of the players, Itemuagbor remarked, “You know the season both in England and Europe has reached crucial stages and we are talking about two players who have between them helped the fortunes of the club in all competitions. But Dr. Adenuga, the Chairman of
Globacom said he was willing to please the club by making available a private jet to fly in the players from London and back… that was the leverage we had in the discussions.”
Habuba disclosed that the players will arrive in Ghana on Wednesday with club’s Communications Director. He also said efforts are still being made to secure the release of Samuel Eto’o of Barcelona.
“Globacom has been very committed to ensuring that for the first time, all three nominees will attend the ceremony and this is quite commendable because it will set the tone for future ceremonies. We are very pleased with the development and wish to commend Globacom,” Habuba stated.