₦airaland Forum

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.

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.

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.

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.

The United States has threatened to withdraw its "financial, moral and material support" for the April elections, if President Obasanjo does not stop "using the institutions of government to coerce opponents of his government." The Daily Sun reported.

Handing down the threat, chairman of the influential United Senate Committee on the Nigerian Election, Sen. Ross Finegold, who spoke during a visit to Capitol Hill by former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, expressed disappointment at the actions of Obasanjo, which he said, puts to questions his sincerity in conducting credible and fair elections.

Senator Finegold also accused the government of being selective in the application of the law, wondering why Abuja had constantly disobeyed court orders, including the recent indictment of some ruling party candidates by an administrative panel set up by the Abia State government.

"Being a federation, that panel has the same force of law as the one which the government is relying on to allegedly bar mostly opposition candidates from the poll," he stated.

He said joint Senate and House committees will meet soon on what he called "clearly deteriorating political situation in Nigeria to take further steps to hold the Nigerian government accountable for any crisis that might result from the elections."

Senator Finegold tasked Abuja to guarantee the safety of opposition candidates, especially Gov. Ngige, adding: "As one of the governors who was attacked by some thugs shielded by the government, the authorities must ensure that no harm comes to him as he exercises his rights to run for public office."

International human rights watchdog, Amnesty International has also accused the government of "condoning several attacks on opponents of President Obasanjo.
The group said it was disturbed that government had not arrested several supporters of the ruling party who have attacked opposition candidates.

"Those who attacked Governor Ngige had not been arrested and we fear they may try again as he makes plans to return home. We call on the government to guarantee his safety," the group said during a Washington meeting with Ngige.

Ngige is also scheduled to meet with top officials of the State Department before returning to Nigeria as the governorship candidate for the Action Congress (AC) in Anambra State.

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.

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).