…says he wants to reward fans with the Reality TV show
Former Super Eagles captain and two-time African Footballer of the Year, Nwankwo Kanu, has stated that his commitment to the success of the Ultimate Football Fans TV Reality Show is total and called on soccer fans to embrace the project.
Speaking exclusively to The Point, the leggy striker who won the 1996 Olympic soccer gold with the Dream Team, said that he was throwing his weight behind the project because it is a good opportunity for him to reward the teeming fans out there who till today, dutifully spend their time and money to watch every single match of their favourite teams, and even our dear national team.
“I’m into this project to thank our teeming soccer fans that have supported the growth and development of the round leather game in the country and abroad.
“Frankly, when you look at the passion exhibited by our teeming soccer fans, even when their clubs or national teams lose or win matches, you have to encourage them with a project like this.
“That is why when Mr. Kingsley Otiaba, Chief Executive Officer of De Soccer Richweb Limited; the initiators of the Ultimate Football Fan Reality TV Show, contacted me, I did not look back in accepting to be the Ambassador of the Ultimate Football Fans TV Reality show which we are about to celebrate its success at the end of the day.
Kanu further explained that he accepted to be part of the show because the organisers also agreed that certain percentage of money realised will be channeled to Kanu Heart Foundation, another of his pet project.
“I am here to encourage Nigerian fans to be part of the show because it will serve as a platform for unity and part of money realised will be used to treat children with heart related diseases in my foundation where we have treated over 540 children, while many are on the waiting list.
“In fact, the Ultimate Football Fan TV Reality Show will also help in increasing the awareness of the game at the domestic and international levels.
“I urge football fans keen to be rewarded for keeping abreast with the happenings in soccer and their favourite clubs to play the game with just N1000 through registering online or at the designated banks,” he stated.
Organisers of the TV Reality Show told The Point that registration forms and online registration commenced on Tuesday April 10, 2018.
Mr. Kingsley Otiaba, Chief Executive Officer of De Soccer Richweb Limited; the initiators of the Ultimate Football Fan Reality TV Show, said the company decided to embark on the project, especially as it concerns giving back to the loyal and passionate fans who year in, year out, never fail to support their teams, both within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
Otiaba highlighted the modalities of the project, emphasising why the project has come to be, after years of incubating it for the right time, which according to him, is now.
He added that mouth-watering prizes are up for grabs by participants, while some winners will take home N20m, an SUV, and an all – expense paid trip to watch a live match of their favourite teams anywhere in the world.
In a separate interview E -Tranzact’s Mr. Adeyemi Adeyemo, Group Head, Business Development, told The Point that the premier e-payment solution provider decided to partner with the initiators of the project because it was worthwhile.
“Football has always brought out the unbridled passion of the game by Nigerians, irrespective of where they come from. Therefore, it is my opinion that football still remains the single denominator of unity, and probably the only thing that every Nigerian seems to be an authority or a coach over, aside from being football fans themselves.
“But with the acceptance of Kanu as the brand Ambassador of the project, I believe soccer fans will embrace it wholeheartedly because he made this country proud with his God-given talent and further launched his Kanu Heart Foundation which has saved the lives of many Nigerians,” he said.
Coordinator of Kanu Heart Foundation, Pastor Onyebuchi Abia, also told The Point remarkable things the Kanu Heart Foundation had done over the years for children with heart conditions.
He stated that the foundation has performed over 540 open heart surgeries both within and outside the country, and appealed for the support of the media in propagating the good cause of the foundation. He traced the establishment of the heart foundation to the near fatal heart condition his boss, Nwankwo Kanu, faced at the peak of his soccer career, but was able to surmount it to become one of the greatest footballers to come out of Nigeria and Africa.
According to the organisers of the TV Reality Show, the country has been grouped into six geopolitical zones apart from Lagos which will stand as a zone because of its peculiar nature.
A total of 252 fans will qualify from the first screening while in the second screening, 36 fans will be selected to be tested on their knowledge of their teams.
A mouth watering cash prize of N20 million and an SUV car will go for the winner of the show just as the first runner- up will get N5million, while the second runner- up will smile home with N2million respectively.
Meanwhile, the MD/CEO of Ruyi Communications, organisers of the event, Sunny Irabor, has called on soccer fans to see the TV Reality Show as an opportunity to test their knowledge especially on how well they know the various teams they support around the globe and called on them to get registered in order to feature in the event.