Guinness presents EPL Trophy to Enugu fans

The Guinness Nigeria PLC has said it’s partnership with the Premier League has boosted sports globally.

Corporate Relations Director at Guinness Nigeria PLC, Rotimi Odusola, stated this when he led a team of Guinness Nigeria’s management to showcase the English Premier League (EPL) trophy to football enthusiasts in Enugu.

He said the partnership had boosted skill and talent development and brought football closer to the people.

He described Enugu as the spiritual home of sports in Nigeria, noting that with the exploits of Rangers International Football Club, it was only natural to choose Enugu for the display of the EPL silverware, given its history and the great job Governor Peter 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.

“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. This presentation of the EPL trophy is an opportunity,” he said.

He said that Guinness Nigeria and the Premier League partnered to bring the iconic silverware for display in Enugu, and in Lagos to give EPL’s teeming fans in Nigeria the rare opportunity to experience the trophy.

Earlier during a courtesy call to Governor Mbah, Odusola commended him for his interest in sports development, stressing that Guinness Nigeria had supported sporting activities of the country.

Mbah expressed his eagerness to partner with Guinness Nigeria PLC to accelerate his administration’s sports development effort, describing 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.

Mbah noted that beside putting in place legislative frameworks for sports development, his administration was also embarking on a massive reconstruction of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and Awgu Games Village preparatory to hosting the 2026 edition of the National Sports Festival.

“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. We are not just paying lip service to sports; we actually have our 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.

“Again, since here is the home of Rangers and since we have also recognised that this is where it all happens, let us begin to think about more collaboration with Guinness to see how we can secure endorsement with the Guinness corporate brand. This should be on the table because Rangers also won the 2023/2024 Nigerian Premier League title.

“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. So, we look forward to more strategic collaboration with Guinness. We are quite a business-friendly state,” he stated.