MTN FOOTBALL THE BIG BANG

As a build up to the 2010 World Cup in the Republic of South Africa, MTN Nigeria on July 25, started the 2010 World Cup countdown, by putting together a novelty football match involving the mercurial Nigerian Football National Team of ‘94 versus African football legends.

The enchanting Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, which is one of the centers earmarked for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup was the venue of the epoch making event.

The national team class of ‘94 is famous for winning the 1994 African Cup of Nations as well as taking Nigeria to her first FIFA World Cup, USA 94.

The match was highly hyped; the level of advertisements on radio and terrestrial and satellite television was huge. The event witnessed a large turnout of football devotees in the city of Lagos. MTN branded vuvuzelas (brightly coloured plastic horns that sound like a swarm of bees when blown in unison) and T-shirts were distributed to the spectators by the organizers.

The match had a galaxy of football stars on parade. Tthe Nigerian team had Taribo West, Emmanuel Amunike, Victor Ikpeba, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha, Austin Eguavoen, Tijani Babangida, Emeka Ezeugo, Garba Lawal, Thompson Oliha, Daniel Amokachie, Isaac Semitoje, Jonathan Akpoborie, Ben Iroha, Uche ‘Gentle Giant’ Okechukwu, Uche Okafor, Mutiu Adepoju, Friday Elaho and the goalkeeping trio of Peter ‘dodo Mayana’ Rufai, Alloy Agu and Ike Shorumu. Christian Chukwu a former coach of the Super Eagles was the team coach.

The African Legends paraded great African stars such as Titi Camara, Tony Yeboah, Abedi Pele, George Weah(a one time world footballer of the year), Kalusha Bwalya, Stephen Tataw, Phil Masinga, Roger Milla and Mark Fish with Chief Adeboye Onigbinde (a reknowned coach and FIFA Instructor) as their coach.

The ‘94 Super Eagles defeated their African legend counterparts 2-1 in the high profile promotional match that served as the official launch of the ‘Big Bang’, a series of promotional events aimed at sensitizing and putting the 2010 world cup in the top of mind priority of people in the continent of Africa.

Garba Lawal popularly known as Chindo scored the first goal of the match while Jonathan Akpoborie a striker who in his hey days was a major influence in the German Bundesliga scored the Super Eagles second goal. The only goal recorded by the African Legends was scored by Titi Camara, a big striker who seemed to have doubled in size.

The absence of Rasheed Yekini the man who scored Nigeria’s first goal at the World Cup was greatly felt; but all that was made up for by the deft ball touches from Austin ‘Jay-Jay’, who from all indication was the man of the match.

At the blast of the final whistle it was easy to tell from the smiles on the fans faces that the event was a blast.

MTN is the sponsor of principal football competitions in the continent of Africa; some of which are the Champions League, the African Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup coming up in the Republic of South Africa. The company’s association with football on the continent is propelled by the Telecommunication giant’s determination to enrich the lives of its customers by connecting them with their passion for international football experience in ways unique to the brand. MTN’s partnership with the Confederation of African Football has .over the years has been such an exemplary and beautiful one that has enabled it fulfill its corporate social responsibility.

MTN Nigeria was launched in 2001 and is the leading GSM operator in the country, with 7.6 million subscribers. Its GSM network currently comprises nearly 2000 base stations and 279 154 square km of transmission infrastructure, providing access to approximately 58 per cent of Nigeria’s population.