Tokyo 2020 Marketing Right: Sports Ministry signs MoU with Nilayo
…Congratulates Nigeria’s first female to qualify for Taekwondo
By Femi Atolagbe
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In its resolve to encourage public private partnership, Nigeria’s Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has entered an agreement with Nilayo Sports Management Limited for the official marketing right of team Nigeria to Tokyo Olympics 2020.
The Memorandum of Understanding which was signed in a brief ceremony in the office of the Minister, Mr. Sunday Dare, had in attendance the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Gabriel Aduda and other officials of the Ministry.
According to the Minister, “We gave them the marketing right having considered the profiles and track records of several other marketing companies. We feel that Nilayo has what it takes to market Team Nigeria going to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”
In his response, Mr. Bukola Olopade who led the Company’s marketing team, extolled the Ministry under the leadership of Mr. Sunday Dare, sayingthe arrival of Mr Dare remains the best time for sports entrepreneurs. He promised that the target given to the Minister would be met and surpassed.
He also applauded the Minister for his Adoption initiative which he said is gaining ground with each day, adding that he would work round the clock to ensure that enough funds are raised for Team Nigeria in line with the agreements reached.
Meanwhile, the Minister has also applauded Elizabeth Anyanacho, who is the first female to qualify for Taekwondo in 16 years and second female ever Taekwondo Olympian.
The Minister also reiterated the need to catch athletes at a very young age considering the fact that Anyanacho, who has been part of an active high performance Taekwondo programme aimed at producing international champions and Olympians, started Taekwondo at age 15 and is making history at 20, as the second female to fly the Green-White-Green flag in the Olympics since Athens 2004.
Elizabeth Anyanacho, a 300 level student of Statistics at the Federal University of Technology Owerri, is the current national champion and the 2019 All African Games medalist.
