Eyo masquerade thrills FIFA, now composite mascot

THRILLED by the spectacle generated by the Eyo masquerade everywhere it goes, World football governing body, FIFA, has approved the masquerade as the official composite logo for the Lagos sub-seat of the Nigeria 2009 U-17 World Cup.




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This means that the masquerade will become a visible part of activities in the Lagos sub-seat.

The body has also endorsed the supply of 1,500 uniforms to be used by volunteers during the matches of the U-17 World Cup scheduled to begin from October 24. The 1,500 uniforms would be re-distributed to the eight hosting sub-seats from this week.

Besides, FIFA has ruled that only the two captains would be escorted into the playing pitch before matches unlike in previous competitions where all the 22 players were escorted to the field before the commencement of matches.

Disclosing this to chairmen, venue managers and other stakeholders in Abuja, the Local Organising Committee's (LOC) Chief Marketing Officer, Mike Itemuagbor, stressed that no sub-seat had given the organising committee a marketing programme, pointing out that only the central body had the authority to sell rights on the competition.

"Only Lagos sub-seat, for instance, has received FIFA's blessing as it concerns composite logo for the country. I am happy to stand to say that Eyo masquerade has been approved as the official composite logo for the FIFA U-17 World Cup competition.

"I can also confirm that the Lagos State government has paid N32 million for 15,000 seats and the simple implication is that all the matches at the Lagos sub-seats would be jam-packed. This is what I expect other sub-seats to do.

"The 5,000 seat left in Lagos sub-seat would be sold on the streets and in FIFA's rating Lagos is a success story even before the matches are played," Itemuagbor said.

He argued further that marketing the competition had been a tortuous job, pointing out "no sub-seat should budget funds for the purchase of the drinks at the eight match venues because they would be infringing on the right of Coca-Coca, who are the food and beverage partners of FIFA."