August 11, (THEWILL) – After the historic AITEO Cup final that saw the emergence of male and female winners from the same state for the first time, the sponsors of the competition, AITEO Group, have promised to facilitate a better spectacle and glamour for the next edition of the competitions.
As Nigeria’s leading energy solutions company and diversified conglomerate, AITEO became an Exclusive Optimum Partner of the football governing body in Nigeria early in 2018. That same year, it grabbed the sponsorship of the Federation Cup, renaming it AITEO Cup.
The euphoria of the year’s final of that competition that played out in Sunday’s classic grand finale in Benin City, as THEWILL reported, is yet to settle but the oil giants have set their sights on marked improvements that are guaranteed to improve the competitiveness in both categories.
AITEO also congratulated Bayelsa United FC and Bayelsa Queens FC, who rewrote the history books by taking the 2021 AITEO Cup back to their State in both the men and women competitions.
Ndiana Matthew, who is AITEO Group’s Head of Corporate Communications, Media and Events, in his analysis of the final said: “We are satisfied with the level of play and organisation which has facilitated the discovery of fresh talent for the National Teams.
“As a responsible and sustainable organisation, we hope that as we continue to secure the nation’s future energy, the AITEO Cup will continue to discover new markets, platforms and resources from the grassroots, enabling economic prosperity for all stakeholders involved,”
Matthew, who attended the final as a representative of Executive Vice Chairman of the AITEO Group was part of a dignified guest list that included the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo; Kola Daniel, Representative of the Minister of Sports; the First Lady of Edo State, Betsy Obaseki; Members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management; top officials of the Edo State cabinet; special advisers and political and business personalities.
Due to a strict adherence to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, only about 30 percent of the 20,000–capacity stadium was occupied but in no way did that douse the wild enthusiasm of the fans, whose loud and joyful presence was felt throughout.
This did not go unnoticed by AITEO and Matthew said: “We congratulate every team that participated in this year’s finals as well as all stakeholders who facilitated the grand finale, the host government, Edo State and our partners, Nigeria Football Federation.
The Nigerian football body was also pleased with AITEO’s commitment to the tournament. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, the President of NFF and FIFA Council Member, expressed their appreciation by promising to continually ensure the organisation of the competition is world class.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
