Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, has expressed his eagerness to partner with Guinness Nigeria to accelerate his administration’s sports development effort.
He made this known when a team of Guinness Nigeria’s management showcased the English Premier League (EPL) trophy to him at Government House, Enugu, on Friday.
Guinness Nigeria and the Premier League partnered to bring the iconic silverware for display in Enugu on Friday, May 16 and in Lagos on Saturday May 17 and Sunday, 18 to give EPL’s teeming fans in Nigeria the rare opportunity to experience the trophy.
Mbah described the state as the home of sporting legends, who have ruled the world of sports as well as home of abundant talents for the future.
“Like Guinness, we regard sports as a positive force in Enugu. We are not surprised that the Guinness flagship event is being held here in Enugu. Just
like Guinness, we also see sports as a platform to foster social cohesion,” Mbah said.
He discloses that the state government is not paying lip service to sports development; but that his administration have its skin in the game.
“We believe that the EPL is quite a spectacle with audiences across the world and you couldn’t have chosen a better city for the flagship event than Enugu.”
Mbah also discloses that his administration will uplift some sporting facilities within the state to meet FIFA recormended standard.
“We are just about giving the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and Awgu Games Village a new lease of life, making sure they meet FIFA and World Athletics standards ahead of the National Sports Festival,” Mbah said, as he looks forward to more collaboration with Guinness on sports development.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and the corporate relations director at Guinness Nigeria, Rotimi Odusola, described Enugu State as the spiritual home of sports in Nigeria, noting the exploits of Rangers.
He said it was only natural to choose Enugu for the display of the EPL silverware, given its history and the great job Governor Mbah had done in repositioning the state.
“Some may wonder why Enugu. There is a reason for us to choose Enugu as the first place in Nigeria since this trophy arrived yesterday. It is because we know that Enugu State is the spiritual home of football in Nigeria. As a young football lover, I can’t forget all of the stories around Enugu Rangers football team.
“I want to also appreciate you for the work you are doing. The last time I was in Enugu was in 2022 and I have seen remarkable improvements in Enugu State since my last visit.
“This presentation of the EPL trophy is an opportunity for us to reinforce Guinness Nigeria being a business that has been intricate in the fabric of Nigeria for 75 years.
“We also want to use this opportunity to create magical moments for our consumers and members of the public through the collaboration between Guinness globally and the English Premier League,” he added.
