By Emmanuella Oreoluwa Sotomi.
On the 24th of August, 2022, the female team of the NBA Lagos Branch made history by being the first team to win the inaugural NBA AGC female football competition.
I was privileged to be part of the team as we sought to make history when we responded to calls from the technical team to report for trainings. We had our first training early morning on the 6th of August, 2022 at the football pitch of the Methodist Boys High School.
Among members of the branch who graced the training was Bisi Makanjuola, a partner at Olaniwun Ajayi LP. Bisi later turned out to be a big sponsor of the team and he donated training bibs and footballs to the team that same day. Bisi also donated the very quality beautiful jerseys for the competition.
Aside supporting the team financially, Bisi attended all the trainings and match day of the team. From the 6th of August, 2022 when we had our first training to the 24th of August, 2022 when we won the competition, Bisi was a permanent fixture in the team. Every training he was there, in suit, casuals or his branded Chelsea jersey, to offer moral support to the team. It was always a refreshing sight to meet him already at training or to look up and see him coming in with refreshments for the team and personally himself sharing it to the players during breaks. Many of us in the team like to refer to ourselves as Bisi Angels in recognition of what Bisi meant to the team.
In one of the training matches where we played a semi professional team and were beaten 11-1, Bisi kept encouraging us during the match and after the match told us not to allow the loss demoralize us.
On match day at the newly refurbished Mobolaji Johnson Arena, our biggest motivator was on ground very early. It was stage fright for some of us and we were lucky to have Bisi speaking to us and reassuring us that we could do it. We went into the match with full confidence and like they say the rest is history. We beat the Unity Bar Female team 1-0 with a spine tingling goal scored by our number nine – Soliat and won the inaugural female football competition.
A promise keeper, Bisi immediately redeemed his financial pledge to the team. He didn’t stop at that, he took the whole team and the coaches out for lunch to further appreciate the team.
Another AGC beckons with female football competition on the menu, this time, more likely that there will be more branches who will register their female teams. Bisi has promised to continue to support the team and this time around there could be a sweetener – Bisi could be the Chairman of the Premier Bar by then.
Bisi Makanjuola would be a tantalizing prospect as chairman for the female team and the branch as a whole. He has all the attributes, qualities and competence. He also has the passion. He would bring his experience and knowledge to bear in the running of the affairs of the branch. He has my support.
Emmanuella Oreoluwa Sotomi.
