Former Champions, UAM Tillers are now ousted from the 2022 Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) after losing out on a 2-3 aggregate in the second leg match of the round of 16 played in Ilorin.The HiFL, in its fourth active season, is organized by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing is supported by StanbicIBTC, Bold, LIRS and Indomie.

UAM Tillers were held to a 2-2 draw by the NUGA Defending champions, Unilorin Warriors in a keenly contested game. It would be recalled that the Tillers lost 0 - 1 in the first leg at Markurdi. Assistant Coach of the Unilorin Warriors, Abdulraheem Abdulhafiz expressed satisfaction with the performance of his team and espoused their hard work and positive spirit. He also praised the school management for their immense support.“Our boys are determined to go all out to defeat every opponent that comes our way. Our major goal this season is to go for goals and win the trophy, that is what the whole teams works towards”, Abdulraheem said.

He added that “we are unrelenting on our efforts and will continue to bring in the spirit of the NUGA games to the HiFL and the spirit is high. However, this is a game of football and we do not rate any team low and it’s a matter of planning ahead for the next game as the boys resume training immediately and deal with the challenges one after the other”, he further said.Coach Paul Sebastien Cyohuna of UAM Tillers, despite the elimination from the league, expressed gratitude on how far the team had come but hoped that the team will bounce back stronger.

“The game against Unilorin was a good and fair game but my team will have to improve on the mental ability to pull through difficult rivals and withstand pressure from any opponent. They are young players and I believe subsequently they will get better”
“We will go back and introduce training programs to help them to understand how to work under pressure and task them on their mental capability to withstand any difficult team” Coach Sebastien assured.

John Aogo of the Tillers had put the visitors in the lead in the 16th minute before Unite Amadu netted the second in 39th minute to strengthen the lead. However, the Warriors through Mujib Jamiu in the 47th minute and Ogunbenro Mustapha in the 62nd minute. The Tillers then needed two goals but they could not as the Warriors put up a solid defense. The goal keeper of the Tillers, Jacob Tergema received the Stanbic IBTC Man of the Match (MOTM) for his heroics against the ever pressing strikers of the Warriors.

In other games, ATBU Bravehearts of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University lost at home to KASU Crocs from Kaduna State University by 2-3. However, the Bravehearts qualified 4-3 on aggregate having won the first leg by 2-0 in Kaduna. The Rivers-based Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) Minders also crashed out of the HiFL after a 4-2 loss on penalties to DELSU Titans in Port Harcourt. This was after both teams were levelled on aggregate after a five-goal thriller over the two legs.

The Rivers-based Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) Minders have crashed out of the Higher institution Football League (HiFL) after a 4-2 loss on penalties to DELSU Titans in the midweek games. Both teams were levelled up on aggregate after a 5-5 score over the two legs.
The IAUE Minders striker, Abel Eli stepped up to convert a penalty kick to put his side ahead in 10th minute of the first half of the game.
Coach David Egbiri of IAUE Minders expressed his displeasure with the outcome of the game considering the preparedness of his side ahead of the match.
“My boys had their chances; they also played well and were meant to proceed to the next round if they listened and played to instruction”, Coach Egbiri lamented.

The game was dominated by the IAUE Minders but was leveled up immediately after the half-time when DELSU Titans’ Onyekachi Njoku scored in the 46th minute to give his side a lifeline after a brilliant touch in the box putting the ball pass the Minders goalkeeper.

After sustained pressure from the Titans, the Minders got ahead in the 75th minute through a well-executed finishing from Omodio Great. The goal was short-lived as the Standbic IBTC Man of the match awardee, the IAUE Minders’ first goal scorer Abel Eli, got a brace in the 80th minute to restore parity after a brilliant piece of play.

Samuel Ekebor, Delsu Titans’ Head coach applauded his team on how clinical his boys were in front of the goal.
“We played like a winning team, and I am very impressed with the confidence and mental ability of my side. We prayed and played hard to get a quarter-final spot and now we can only but think about lifting the trophy at the finals”, Coach Ekebor noted.

The IAUE Minders were gearing up for a victory before the Titans Okwuchi Emerald scored in the 89th minute to bring his team level on aggregate and drag the game to penalty shootout.The Titans substitute goalkeeper Fabian Ugboko saved two brilliant shots from the spot to hand the DELSU Titans’ victory after the shootout.

In other games, former Champions, UAM Tillers were also ousted from the 2022 HiFL after losing out on a 2-3 aggregate in the second leg match of the round of 16 played in Ilorin.

ATBU Bravehearts of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University also lost at home to KASU Crocs from Kaduna State University by 2-3 leaving the Bravehearts to qualify with 4-3 on aggregate, having won the first leg by 2-0 in Kaduna.
The HiFL, in its fourth active season, is organized by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing is supported by StanbicIBTC, Bold, LIRS and Indomie.

…advocates inclusivity for women empowerment

Guinness Nigeria Plc recently empowered nine female bartenders in the pilot edition of the Diageo Bar Academy (DBA) programme in Lagos as part of its diversity and inclusivity strategy for empowering the underrepresented in Nigeria. The Diageo Bar Academy is a scholarship programme that aims to provide world-class bartending training to both men and women, to increase the number of female bartenders in the business.

Viola Graham-Douglas, Chair of the Guinness Nigeria Spirited Women's Network and Director of International Premium Spirits, Reserve & Modern Trade (IRM), said during the graduation ceremony at the Guinness Headquarters that this edition was specifically designed for women as a DBA diversity and inclusion programme to provide more females with viable career opportunities in bartending and the hospitality sector in general.

“Guinness Nigeria is committed to ensuring that our diversity and inclusion programme gives opportunities to all our stakeholders across our value chain. We want everyone to feel included, both inside and outside of our company. We believe that our company will be stronger if our activities reflect the diversity of our customers, communities, and individuals who are bonded by our iconic products.”

She added that “it is important to us; it is part of who we are and what we do. Everywhere we go, we create the most inclusive and diverse culture, shaping market leading policies because it is part of our purpose of celebrating life every day, everywhere”.

In selecting the beneficiaries, Graham-Douglas explained that “they went through a flexible selection process with a focus on key characteristics such as aptitude, enthusiasm for the trade, and commitment to work in the craft after completing the training programme working in hotels, restaurants, cafés, clubs, bars, or other related outlets in the industry”.

Mark Mugisha, Guinness Nigeria's Marketing, and Innovations Director stated that the company is more concerned with the impact of its many corporate social responsibility projects on Nigerians than with generating a profit. He urged all the beneficiaries to be diligent in using the skills they had learned to improve their work and, in the long term, their livelihood.

"In the long run, the DBA is crucial to our diversity and inclusion mission. We promise that the programme will continue beyond this inaugural edition, as we are already harnessing talents for the next level. We are confident that these pilot participants will impress and fully utilize the skills gained from this training in their chosen career," Mugisha said.

The programme is expected to transit into a DBA train-the-trainer programme; a thirty-day duration course in which the participants will be able to pass on what they have learned to others. The completion of the training also comes with a 3-month internship with any of the Guinness Nigeria trade partners.

Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nigeria's leading total beverage company, has empowered another 100 women with trade assets and key business operation skills in Benin Edo state, as part of its ongoing Plan W-empowerment programme across the country, to further drive home its commitment to Nigeria's socio-economic development through women empowerment.

Plan-W is one of Guinness Nigeria’s Skills programme under their Diversity and Inclusion strategy which aims to provide economic empowerment in form of trade assets and relevant training in entrepreneurial and business operations skills to women within communities where they source, sell, and operate. Since its inception a few years ago, the Plan W programme has been carried out in Kaduna, Enugu, Aba, Owerri, Osogbo and very recently in Benin Edo State.

At the trade assets presentation to the beneficiaries in Benin, Guinness Nigeria Plc. Corporate Relations Director, Rotimi Odusola, said the empowerment programme is part of the company's commitment to continually grow and empower the underrepresented as part of the company's diversity and inclusion strategy.

"Women empowerment is a significant contributor to economic development and progress because women are essential to any society's survival. We want to alleviate socio-economic hardship by equipping women with business and life skills that will help them improve their livelihood and contribute positively to society's overall growth. We believe that through this project, we will be able to boost women who have limited financial prospects, reduce unemployment, increase household incomes, and improve the overall quality of life”, Odusola noted.
According to Odusola, over 600 individuals have benefited from the Plan W-empowerment programme thus far.

Mrs. Barbara Nekpen Osobajo, the Permanent Secretary in the Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, praised Guinness Nigeria's efforts and encouraged the recipients to rigorously use the trade assets to build their enterprises and contribute considerably to the state's GDP.

"This project is a positive step forward, and we hope that more organizations would follow Guinness Nigeria's example in empowering our women so that they can become self-sufficient. I want to express my gratitude to Guinness Nigeria for this heartfelt effort, and we look forward to working with the team again soon," Osobajo added.

Guinness Nigeria continues to deliver on its sustainability and responsibility commitments which are focused on three areas; Promoting Positive Drinking, Diversity & Inclusion and Grain to Glass sustainability.

Over 60 teams across different tertiary institutions in Nigeria will contest for honours in the 2022 Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) which kicks off in April with team registration while the qualifiers begin in May. According to Pace Sports and Entertainment Marketing who are the organisers of the game, this year’s edition promises to be “more than a game” with other exciting activities which have been concluded for this 5th edition of the games.

Speaking at the international press conference to unveil programs for the 2022 edition, Chairman PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing Limited Dr Onyekachi Onubogu said preparations are in top gear to ensure that lovers of football in the country enjoy the best of collegiate football this season. Building on the successes recorded in previous seasons, Onubogu said the projection is to make HiFL the biggest tertiary institutions competition in Africa with the support of all relevant stakeholders. “We sincerely appreciate our sponsors, Stanbic IBTC and BOLD Drinks for their esteemed support and commitment to developing the Nigerian youths and collegiate sports” Onubogu stated.

Head of Brands and Marketing at Stanbic IBTC Mrs. Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami in her remark said “this is the fourth year of our partnership with HiFL. We had committed to a partnership for five years after which it will be evaluated. It has been interesting and we are still committed to the course to which we said we will. HiFL has done a great job so far. We realise that some of the teams that participated in the last edition of HiFL won most of the medals at this year’s NUGA games. On behalf of the Chief Executive for the Group and the Bank, we extend our goodwill and ask that the players should continue putting in their hard work. We will continue to do our bit in supporting youth development in Nigeria”.

Elaborating on the modalities, Director, PACE Sports, Sola Fijabi explained that “the 2022 season promises so much excitement. We will have more schools register for the league this year as we also hope to expand the offerings. We want our stakeholders to feel the vibes that HiFL has created since its inception. We appreciate the success recorded so far and we hope for more going forward. Our goal is to consistently build on the achievements of the initiative to make it a reference point for collegiate sports in Africa”.

In his speech, the President of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA), Prof. Stephen Hamafyelto commended the organisers and assured all stakeholders that the association is committed to ensuring that the 2022 HiFL season is a success. According to the season’s schedule, team registration will begin in April while the qualifying rounds start in May through to the Super Four Finals scheduled to hold in September.

IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM)

Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL) celebrated International Women’s Day 2022 by challenging Nigerian girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at a career-talk event for secondary school girls in all the three host communities of the Segilola Gold Project.

It was a very engaging event as speakers spoke about the gender gap in STEM fields in the country and then encouraged secondary school girls to consider STEM fields as an option when making their academic and career decisions.
It was very encouraging to see young girls being pushed to break the bias in whatever way they can and debunk most of the stereotypes held against women.

"Break the bias and walk in the footsteps of Nigerian women who have distinguished themselves in their fields, broken biases, endured and surmounted several challenges to pave the way for the younger generations" was the message passed down by the Chairperson of the Atakumosa East Local Government Area, Princess Folusho Adekoya.

The young girls were very excited to have a professor of computer science and engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Prof. Abimbola Iyanda, narrate her experience and then encouraged the girls to be inquisitive, put no limits on what they can become and make informed decisions regarding studying in the STEM field.

There was also a discussion on issues affecting girls’ involvement in STEM. The panellists; which consists of female employees of the SROL management team urged the participants to see beyond the challenges and build themselves with the right attitude and skills to succeed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

SROL is a company, domiciled in Nigeria, that operates the Segilola Gold Project, located in Osun State Nigeria. SROL is a subsidiary of Thor Explorations Ltd.(Thor), a West African focused gold exploration and development company listed on both the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSXV:THX) and AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM:THX).

GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC

RESTATES COMMITMENT TO INVESTMENT IN NIGERIA, HIGHLIGHTS RECENT EXPANSION PLANS AND POSITIVE FINANCIAL RESULTS.


The attention of the Management of Guinness Nigeria PLC has been drawn to some false, malicious, and misleading publication trending on some social media platforms falsely alleging that Guinness Nigeria is relocating out of Nigeria and therefore planning to sell its lkeja Brewery site. A bogus 'sales brochure' circulating online in various formats claims that the lkeja site sale is part of an exit plan, and this falsehood is being irresponsibly circulated by faceless persons purporting to be property agents.


Guinness Nigeria PLC. certainly has no plans to exit Nigeria, contrary to the orchestrated false publication making the round s. We are strong, stable, and delivering value to our esteemed stakeholders.

We would also like to clearly state that the malicious publication is not in tandem with our current expansion and investment drive, as we recently reaffirmed our long-term strategic expansion plans in Nigeria with the acquisition of an additional 25-acre commercial property in the Ogba industrial area of Lagos purchased recently in late 2021.

Guinness Nigeria also recently announced our Half Year Unaudited Financial Result for the 6 months ended 31st December 2021 in which we notified our esteemed shareholders of our stellar performance in which our 6 months' Operating Profit grew by 266% to N13.6Billion.

Contrary to the false information being circulated by detractors, we are renewed in our efforts to serve our revered consumers and creating more job opportunities for Nigerians as seen in the new
$5million additional production line recently commissioned at our Brewery in Ogba, Lagos in October 2021. We are also pleased to state that we are on the verge of completing work on our new
ultra-modern head office block located in lkeja where we will be moving in the next few weeks.

We urge our employees, stakeholders, and members of the public to ignore the false, malicious, and misleading publication as it never emanated from the Management of Guinness Nigeria Pie.

Guinness Nigeria, part of the world's largest premium drinks company, Diageo Pie., is home of the first Guinness brewery outside of the British Isles. Established in 1950, we are one of the oldest surviving manufacturing companies in Nig eria .
Guinness Nigeria subscribes to the highest standards of corporate governance and will continue to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, and especially guarantee that our engagement with consumers, government agencies, suppliers, shareholders, and other stakeholders is driven by our values and principles .

Guinness Nigeria has confidence in the Nigerian economy and just as we have done for the past seventy-one years, we will remain a major player in the country by continua ly investing, developing capabilities, growing brands that most suit the consumers' needs; and contributing positively to lives, communities and the environment.


GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC:

Signed Management.

…restates commitment and support to youth engagement, growth

Bold Soft Drink, a brand with four flavours of Ginger Orange, Tropical and Bitter Lemon Extra from the stable of The La Casera Company plc, pioneers of PET bottles in the Nigerian CSD industry, reinforced their commitment towards supporting Nigerians through the sponsorship of the largest private inter - collegiate football competition; Higher Institution Football League (HiFL) by leveraging Bold soft drink to refresh the participants.

The quest to support the discovery of not only innovative soft drinks like Bold but also football talents among Nigerian youths was evident during the thrilling finals of the HiFL 2021 Season played at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex where University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID Desert Warriors) defeated Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAU Luminaries) by 1-0 to win this year’s competition in a very refreshing atmosphere powered by Bold Soft Drinks.

Rounding up the 2021 Season of the 2021 HiFL at the Elite Awards organised to reward deserving players and corporate bodies especially sponsors, who contributed to the success of the tournament had in attendance Chinedum Okereke (Managing Director, The La Casera Company Plc) who stated that Bold is delighted to be associated with HiFL because the project aligns with the company’s commitment towards contributing to youth development in Nigeria.
He further stated that “The vision of Bold as a youth-centric brand is to unleash the talent in young Nigerians. We can totally relate with Nigeria’s undaunting adventurous and fun-loving spirit. It is a great joy to be part of the HiFL. We understand that when we talk about the youth in Nigeria, we should identify them with positive things such as this project.

While congratulating the winners, Emmanuel Agu (Group Marketing Director, Jotna Nigeria Limited, The LaCasera Company Plc) stated that “Bold Soft Drink is thrilled to be the official drink partner of HiFL’s 2021 Season as the platform definitely availed us the opportunity to support the nurturing of football talents among Nigerian youths while connecting with our loving consumers through sports. We look forward to upcoming collaboration and an exciting sporting football league in subsequent seasons.

Football Legend, Kanu Nwankwo (MON), who was present at the awards dinner presented the 2021 HiFL Highest Goal Scorer of the Season and HiFL Player of the Season award to UNIMAID Desert Warriors, Sulieman Ali Selah as well took picture autographs with attendees.

Director, PACE Sports, Sola Fijabi emphasized that the partnership with Bold signalled the commencement of the greater expectations, excitements and immense value and opportunities the platform has provided for participants and corporate partners continued existence as front burner of youth engagements.
“We are glad to have BOLD, our official drink join, the growing family of partners and sponsors alike who are dedicated to developing the Nigerian youths. We are excited to have BOLD on board and also be part of the HiFL success story by associating their brand with the strides HIFL is taking to improve collegiate sports and its contribution to sports development in Nigeria”, Fijabi remarked.

The latest collaboration with BOLD Soft Drinks further allows PACE Sports Marketing Limited and Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) to show commitment to partnerships that will ensure the sustainability of the HiFL games as one of the most veritable platforms for grassroots football development in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

ABOUT BOLD
Bold Soft Drinks comes in four variants; Ginger, Orange, Tropical and Bitter Lemon Extra.
Bold Ginger is Nigeria’s first ginger soft drink with spicy taste and pleasant peppery bite, perfect for your on-the-go life; while Bold Orange is different because it has that uniquely refreshing taste and aroma enjoyed by Fun, Trendy and Stylish consumers.
Bold Tropical gives that deeply satisfying and indulging taste that quenches your taste with a rewarding mouthfeel; while the flagship flavour, Bold Bitter Lemon Extra which comes with Extra quinine, for those who yearn to “Taste the Extra” in their soft drink.

The La Casera Company has once again been recognized with five outstanding awards at the just concluded Marketing Edge Awards that took place on Friday, 27th August 2021. The ceremony which brought the cream of the marketing world together, with the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu in attendance, as it honoured the very best of brands and companies in the country, announced La Casera as the most ‘Outstanding Carbonated Soft Drink Brand of the Decade’ and the Bold Ginger drink as the ‘Outstanding CSD Brand of the year’.

The La Casera Company also received the ‘Outstanding FMCG Corporate Brand of the Decade’, while the Managing Director, The La Casera Company, Chinedum Okereke won the ‘Outstanding Company CEO of The Year’ Award and the Group Marketing Director, Jotna Nigeria Limited (The La Casera Company), Emmanuel Agu, was awarded the ‘Outstanding Marketing Personality of the decade’.

Speaking regarding the awards, Group Marketing Director, Jotna Nigeria Limited, Emmanuel Agu said, “We are deeply honoured to receive these many awards at an event such as this. These awards are dedicated to the Marketing team and the entire La Casera Company as we all have been a part of the process of producing and maintaining the iconic brands that reside in the La Casera Company portfolio. We must also not forget to appreciate our esteemed customers who ensure our drinks remain their preferred in each category and we promise to keep the flag flying”.

The La Casera Company is home to iconic brands such as La Casera Apple drink, Smoov Chapman, Nirvana range of products and variants from the Bold Franchise.

Hmm! keep shining and making a difference.

Beloxxi has restated its commitment to the safety of its staff, consumers and its environment, according to a statement by the President/CEO, Mr Obi Ezeude “The safety of our people is of the utmost priority. It is a part of our day-to-day performance. We take responsibility for the safety and health of our employees, customers and consumers, the protection of the environment and the quality of life in the communities in which we operate. A comprehensive package is provided to our employees. Health and preventive care programmes are applied to safeguard against workplace and general health risks.

He further added that “Beloxxi designs, manages and operates our facilities to maximize safety, promote energy efficiency, protect the environment, and drive Zero Defect quality of our products, eliminate hazards and reduce risks. Beloxxi continuously improves our integrated management system by analyzing and managing risks and opportunities both internally and with external suppliers, manufacturing partners and customers. Beloxxi complies with ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management Certified) as well as NAFDAC certificates to meet or exceed all applicable environmental, health, safety and quality requirements”.

The company has also won numerous awards both locally and internationally including being picked by the London Stock Exchange as one of the 334 companies to inspire Africa in 2017 and 2019, The FATE Model Enterprenuer Award 2017, EY Enterprenuer of Year 2020 to mention a few.

'The End'

HiFL is organized in partnership with the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) and sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Nivea Men, BOLD and Minimie.

Follow HiFL across all social media platforms @HiFLNigeria and visit the website at https://hiflng.com/ for more information.

HiFL is organized in partnership with the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) and sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Nivea Men, BOLD and Minimie.

Follow HiFL across all social media platforms @HiFLNigeria and visit the website at https://hiflng.com/ for more information.

La Casera Apple Drink, the flagship brand of The La Casera Company, a subsidiary of Jotna Nigeria Limited, last weekend won the prestigious CSD Brand of the Year Award at the just concluded 10th Marketing World Awards held in Accra Ghana.

The awards celebrate The La Casera marketing team as well as the Jotna company at large which has stayed true to its vision from inception.
The La Casera Company (TLCC) has been consistent with the quality of its flagship brand, La Casera, making it the apple drink of choice for the last 20 years. Leading the pack in the personality awards category was Emmanuel Agu, the Group Marketing Director, JOTNA (The La Casera Company) who was also honoured as one of Africa’s Top 50 Marketing Leaders.

Commenting on the award, Group Marketing Director, Jotna Nigeria Limited, Emmanuel Agu said, “This award is a fresh recognition for the hard work and innovation of the teams at The La Casera PLC. In spite of the difficulties presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the teams continued to expand and improve its offerings. The La Casera Company always strives to provide the best product and brand experiences to its customers and consumers, and it is very exciting to be recognized by marketing professionals”.

Recently, The La Casera Apple Drink unveiled a new look, ‘fresh vibes’ and a fun groovy tune to go with it. The La Casera Company is home to iconic brands such as La Casera Apple drink, Smoov Chapman, Nirvana water variants and the Bold Franchise (Ginger, Tropical, Orange and Bittler Lemon extra).

Check out some pictures from the Awards Ceremony below:

Matches in the qualifying rounds of the ongoing Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) organised by PACE Sports ended over the weekend with the last set of qualified teams emerging. Two teams from each Zone qualified automatically for the Round of 16 joining the four 2019 Super Four teams that are on standby.

In Zone A, the team from Kogi State University (KSU Steelers) turned out to be the surprise package toping the Zone with nine points with a plus five goals difference from four games pushing veterans UNIMAID to the second position on seven points. In the final game between both teams, Muhammed Yahaya of KSU Steelers scored both goals for his team in the 12th and 80th minutes while UNIMAID’s Kachalla Maikadir scored the only goal for his team in the 17th minute to end the game 2-1 in favour of KSU Steelers.

FUTMINNA Transformers and ABU Nobles played out a goalless draw in Zone B to finish first and second respectively.
In Zone C where the teams were divided into two pots, LAUTECH and FUTA Tigers emerged the winners from each pot. Both teams finished on four points.

LASU Blazers, who are the host institution for the Zone, failed to qualify after losing their two games and ended with no point.
UNIBEN Royals showed class in Zone D to end up on 10 points with a plus four goals difference. Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) joined them as the second team to automatically qualify from the zone after defeating the NDU Oilers 2-1 in their last match and garnered six points.
Omotayo Oluwatobi scored a brace for AAUA in the 32nd and 73rd minutes before Endurance Ezekiel got the consolation goal for the Oilers in the 80th minute.

In Uyo, the IAUE Minders ended their campaign on a high with a 5-0 drubbing of the FUNAI Hawks to end on seven points in second place.
Goodness Johnson scored a brace for the Minders in the 22nd and 44th minute. Three goals from Paul Benedict in the 11th minute, Tennyson Eyee in the 57th minute and Koteh Nubaridoo in the 80th minute were enough to help the Minders scale through with an automatic ticket. The UNN Lions led the zone with eight points after four matches.

The HiFL 2021 Final 16 Teams:

• UNICAL Malabites – University of Calabar • UAM Tillers – University of Agriculture, Makurdi • UNILORIN Warriors – University of Ilorin • OAU Giants – Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife • KSU Steelers – Kogi State University, Anyigba • UNIMAID Desert Warriors – University of Maiduguri • FUTMINNA Transformers – Federal University of Technology, Minna • ABU Nobles – Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria • LAUTECH Hunters – Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho • FUTA Tigers – Federal University of Technology, Akure • UNIBEN Royals – University of Benin • AAUA Luminaries – Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba • UNN Lions – University of Nigeria, Nsukka • IAUE Minders – Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt • UNILAG Marines – University of Lagos • BUK Stallions – Bayero University, Kano


Speaking on the qualifiers, the President of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Prof. Stephen Hamafyelto said: “The final 16 teams are about ready and as the results have shown, HiFL is full is full of surprises and our fans should get set to watch more exciting matches as great talents are emerging this season on our campuses. We thank all our sponsors for believing in this great dream and the participating institutions for their sportsmanship. NUGA and HiFL are fully committed to their mandate of creating sporting opportunities for students in Nigerian universities to excel even as they conveniently marry sports and academy with the support of the university managements. We are proud of the successes recorded in this regard.”

…UNILAG Marines, UNIMAD Desert Warrior, UNN Warriors Win Opening Games

The 2021 Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) organized by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing Limited got off to a good start yesterday with matches across four centres. At the Lagos State University Sports Complex, the Chairman, Lagos State University Sports Council, Prof. Ayodeji Abari performed the ceremonial match kick-off.

In Lagos, the first game between ABUAD Stars and FUTA Tigers ended in a 1-1 draw. FUTA Tigers drew the first blood scoring in the 39th minute through Adejo Sunday before Egwuatu Ifeoluwa equalized for ABUAD Stars on the 72nd minute following confusion between FUTA Tigers’ goalkeeper and the central defender.

The epic battle between UNILAG Marines and LASU Blazers ended 1-0 in favour of the Marines. Knowing they needed a win, Unilag Marines took the game to their visitors in a gorilla combat style and secured victory with a goal from Sheriff Olanlokun.

The match between NDU Oilers and FUOYE Dazzlers at the University of Benin Sports Complex also ended in a 1-1 draw. Ifeanyi Samuel scored the opener for NDU Oilers before Amietimi Emmanuel equalized for the FUOYE Dazzlers.

However, the thrilling encounter between UNIMAID Desert Warriors and ATBU Bravehearts played at the Bayero University, Kano produced five goals. Oche Elijah of UNIMAID opened the scoring seven minutes into the match before Idris Bulus doubled the advantage on the 27th minute. Lotan Pwalwari pulled one back for ATBU on the 34th minute before Jehu Bilyork equalized for the team one minute into the second half of the encounter. Determined to win their first match, Abubakar Sanni restored UNIMAIDS leadership scoring the third goal for the team in the 48th minute to end the match at 3-2 in favour of UNIMAID Desert Warriors.

The match between UNN Warriors and FUNAI Hawks at the University of Uyo Sports complex ended 2-0 in favour of the Warriors. Goals from Utazi Chigozie and Amichebe Elvis ensured that the Hawks were left with no carcass to feed on after the dwell.

Speaking on the games, Director, PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Mr Sola Fijabi said “it feels good to have these young people back doing what they like to do best. As a Company, we are determined to provide avenues for Nigerian youths to put their energy into good use, to add value to themselves and society. We thank the Nigerian University Games Association for partnering with us and indeed our esteemed sponsors for supporting the actualization of this dream which has become a reality and now in its third active season”.

The Higher Institution Football League (HiFL) was incorporated by PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing Limited in 2018. The maiden edition of the league in 2018 was won by the UAM Tillers while UNICAL Malabites won the 2019 season.

Guinness Nigeria Plc recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on drink-driving, vision tests, and e-learning partnership.

Managing Director Guinness Nigeria Plc, Baker Magunda while addressing newsmen in Abuja, said the technology was developed to assist the corps in training and testing of drivers and everyone who chooses to drive on Nigerian roads.
“We work with the government and other partners like the FRSC to target specific issue such as drink-driving or excessive driving, with programmes that try to positively change behavior and reduce harm. We took this approach because it is the right thing to do, and because it is in line with our business policy.”

“At Guinness, we are happy to be leveraging technology in tackling drink-driving including the adoption of an e-learning responsible training module which will complement the curricular for training and testing of drivers.“This new product will be deplored as an e-learning modules and everyone who wishes to get or renew their driver’s license will be encouraged to undergo a short term educational tutoring on responsible drinking,” Magunda said.

According to Magunda, the e-learning module will enable people who want to become drivers or those who are looking to renew their licenses an opportunity to learn about drink-driving, as part of their certification for their licenses. He added that the pilot scheme would be deployed first to appointed driving schools but that everyone would eventually be able take the training on their smartphone and tablet in the comfort of his or her home.

Magunda said the company was more interested in saving the lives of their consumer than making profits and such would not relent in educating people on the side effects of consuming too much alcohol. “It is only people that are alive that can buy our brands. So, keeping those who consume our brands alive and safe, is the only way we can sustain our business. “We have a moral duty as those who produce alcoholic brands to ensure that we educate people on the side effect of consuming too much alcohol,” he added.

Also speaking, FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, commended the efforts of Guinness, stating that “They have been very supportive in the cooperate social responsibility they have provided us with the evidence-based digital breathalyzers to test drivers nationwide. The traffic law has provision to test drivers under the influence of alcohol.”

Oyeyemi, decried the increase in road accidents leading to drunk driving and vision problems, noting that a signing such as this, would help mitigate and put a halt to drivers that ply roads under the influence of alcohol and also drivers that have vision problems.
He added that a comprehensive vision test would also be carried out on all the articulated drivers in the country as 30 per cent of them failed a similar test carried out last year.

Oyeyemi assured that the app would also be used to raise awareness in respect to drink-driving, noting that any effort deployed to save one life was worth it since life had no replacement.

Following the resumption of sporting activities in the country, all is now set for the commencement of the 2021 season of the Higher Institution Football League (HiFL). The league is set to commence in April with qualifying rounds involving over forty University teams alongside a host of other exciting activities.

Speaking at the event to herald the league, the Director, PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing Ltd, Mr Sola Fijabi intimated that preparations are in top gear to ensure that lovers of football in the country enjoy the best of collegiate football this season.

“The 2021 football games will commence in April with the qualifying rounds. We have had a series of consultations with our partners, the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA), sponsors and other relevant stakeholders across the board and we are glad to have come to a consensus that we can go ahead with the 2021 football season. We have also studied international football games and how they have been able to pull off the games despite the restrictions occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. With this, we were optimistic that we have a strategy that will lead to a successful season” Fijabi said.

Other activities for the action-packed and exciting season will include the HiFL E-games, Masterclass series 2.0 and a host of other digital engagement touchpoints.

“Beyond the physical games, we have other activities that will keep our fans engaged as we create value. Feedbacks on the Masterclass Series with Stanbic IBTC for the 2020 season showed that we were able to build the capacity of a lot of young people that joined the webinars. The HiFL E-games, a virtual collegiate football tournament, was another innovation that ensured that our fans did not miss out on the lack of physical games for the 2020 season due to the lockdowns. We hope to sustain the momentum even as we resume play on the field” Fijabi explained.

The qualifying rounds formally kick off hostilities in the 2021 season and are expected to be completed between April and May 2021 while draws for the round of 16 will take place in June and run through September. The HiFL Super Four Finals rounds off the season and will hold in September in Lagos.

HiFL is organized in partnership with the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) and sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, Nivea Men and Minimie. It would be recalled that physical games could not be held for HiFL due to the lockdown and extensive restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Follow HiFL across all social media platforms @HiFLNigeria and visit the website at https://hiflng.com/ for more information.