To the outside
world, nothing good can come out of Nigeria.
Thanks to Sikiru
Olatunbosun’s “heavenly’ goal for MFM against champions, Rangers, the Nigeria
Professional Football League, has again generated a subject for discussion across
the globe.
PR Consultant, OJEIKERE GLOVER AIKHOJE, examines the
impact of the goal on the growing brand profile of brand ‘NPFL.’
Miracle or Touch of Class
Was it a miracle or
simply a touch of class?
Expect the unusual
when a team draws inspiration through their pre-match ritual with a strong connection
to their God.
“Your name is
Yahweh, Your name is Yahweh. Miracle working God, your name is Yahweh!”
If you’ve not seen Lagos
side, MFM, play a match, that line completes the pre-match ritual of the church
side.
Indeed, God was in
action and a miracle on the way when Sikiru Olatunbosun beautifully finished
the creative work started by diminutive Chukwuka Onuwa added with the sublime
skill of league top scorer, Steven Odey.
“It’s my best goal
so far”, he said to naijaleague.com.ng.
Expect a combination
of both whenever MFM plays at the Agege Stadium now dubbed “Temple of Football”.
PR for Brand ‘NPFL’
First it was the collapse
of Kano Pillars’ 12-year unbeaten run that attracted global attention to the
NPFL.
Then Rangers’ 32-year
wait for a title last year set the global media agog, in 2016.
Now, it’s that sumptuous
goal from Olatunbosun that has enhanced attention.
Since Friday last
week when Olatunbosun released that piece of football artistry to the world,
social media has not remained the same.
Thanks to Africa’s
premier sports channel, SuperSport, Olatunbosun’s creativity was well packaged
for the world to see.
It’s no surprise
that television is usually described as the ‘icing on the cake.’
A massive PR boost
for the domestic league.
American sports channels,
FoxSoccer and espn, both had superlative description for Olatunbosun’s feat.
According to
@FOXsoccer, “This
flick-and-volley strike is already the best goal of the weekend.”
“Wonderful goal by Sikiru Olatunbosun in Nigeria
football. Do not miss it”, was how @ESPNFutbolClub described it.
French influential
daily sports newspaper, L’Equipe (@lequipe), described it as “a magnificent goal
in Nigeria.”
Truth be told, the goal
will definitely be in contention for the 2017 Puskas award, which Fifa uses to recognize
the best goal in the year.
And for the first
time, a goal from the NPFL made the CNN Goal of the Week list.
Imagine a goal from
the NPFL in contention for a global award!
This will no doubt
take the NPFL to new heights.
Until another touch
of magic attracts the attention of the world to the NPFL, Olatunbosun gets the
applause for producing that stunner that reverberated around the internet.
For the NPFL, the
brand can only continue to grow on and off the pitch with positives.
OJEIKERE GLOVER AIKHOJE, is a PR Consultant with MATCHROOM
SPORTS and MEDIA LIMITED, a PR Agency based in Lagos, Nigeria.
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