Brazil 2014: 'Supporters' Club needs N800m'
By egun Ogunjimi On Feb 7, 2014
The President-General of the Nigeria Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, has told SportingLife that the club is desperately in need of N800m to foot the travel expenses of at least 800 supporters to Brazil to cheer the Super Eagles at the 2014 World Cup holding from June this year.
Ladipo, who revealed that members of the club personally sponsored their trips to South Africa for the just concluded Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), said the club needs the support of the Federal Government, well meaning Nigerians, as well as corporate bodies to make their dream of storming Brazil in large numbers a reality.
"The Supporters Club will need a minimum of between N800, 000 and N1 million per person to go to Brazil. This will include the air fee, accommodation and match tickets. But I am confirming to Nigerians that we will be there.
"We are expecting at least 300 supporters from Nigeria while at least 500 will come from other parts of the world to join us in Brazil for the World Cup. So, the Supporters Club is looking for nothing less than N800 million to be able to prosecute this World Cup", Ladipo revealed.
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He also defended the club's major sponsor Globacom for not sponsoring the trip all alone.
"We have an agreement with Globacom, our major sponsor for a particular amount to be paid to us at the beginning of the year, for the whole year. If that money falls short of our expenses we have to look for money to be able to do whatever we want to do.
"It is right now for the (Federal) Government to know that the Supporters' Club supporting the various national teams is a Nigerian project. It is not the Supporters' Club project.
"We are supporting these teams on behalf of Nigeria. We have always followed the teams to contribute our own quota to the meaningful development of the game of football and the good image enhancement of our dear country Nigeria. So, it is a Nigerian project", he argued.
'Supporters ClubBrazil 2014
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