Ex-Nigeria star Adelabu laments lack of Nigeria Women’s Football League sponsors

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Former Nigeria winger and sports scientist, Adegoke Adelabu has lamented the lack of lead sponsors for the Nigerian women’s league in Nigeria.

Established in 1991, the NWFL has had soft drink sponsorship (Pepsi) and two seasons ago acquired two sponsorships for the regular season and Super Six.

And Adelabu is not happy they didn’t have a regular lead sponsor, stressing that those handling the league have failed to secure a lead sponsor for arguably the pioneer women’s league in the continent.

“I am not surprised at the lack of sponsorship for our women’s football league because it is only a well-packaged league that will attract sponsors,” Adelabu told The Guardian.

“The days when the government will be the sole financier of sports are over. Therefore, the league managers must think outside the box, rebrand, and influence investors and sponsors because anything besides this will lead to a lack of support and there will be dwindling fortunes in women’s football.”

Since soft drink giants, Pepsi pulled out of the sponsorship of Nigeria’s Women’s Football League in 2002, it had been the same message of no sponsor from one board to another, especially from the days of Princess Bola Jegede to Alhaja Ayo Omidiran, Dilichukwu Onyedinma and the immediate past board led by Aisha Falode.

Two seasons ago, the NWFL got two sponsorships under Aisha Falode with Peculiar Ultimate Concerns, taking charge of the regular season while another deal was sealed with Tulcan Energy for the Super Six. The deal lasted for the 2021/2022 season with the expiration of Falode’s reign as the league Chairperson.

A new board has taken over the NWFL, with Nkechi Obi as the head, who started by launching a platform tagged: ‘Women’s Football Rising,’ which the veteran sports marketer assures, will tackle developmental problems affecting the women’s league in Nigeria.

Adelabu said he does not foresee any major change in the game unless some drastic moves are made.

“Everything we do in sport has to be consistent with our national objectives for sports development,” he continued.

“A well-packaged program will attract sponsors who are ready to identify with the organisational structure and aspirations of the federation.

“The important issue here is, has the Nigerian women’s league body successfully reviewed its activities and challenges during the last season and what are the improvements they prepare to bring into the organisation of the game soon?

“The issues of officiating and crowd inflow should be investigated. People want to enjoy what they pay for and not give the games to the highest bidder.

“When sponsors don’t have value for their money, they are bound to decline sponsorship. When they perceive unseriousness in the goals of the federation they will pocket their funds for important things.

“Let us take a cursory look at the time we started female football and now. Where are the girls who started it? Are they part of the structure today? What about those who sustained injuries among them? There is a way that football training or physical activities affect the menstrual cycle of a woman. Have we ever delved into such health aspects of their training to assist our girls? What about infertility and sports training?

“We cannot just organise our women to engage in a game in an environment that is anti-progress. Proper homework must be done by the federation if they want corporate organisation to take interest in what they are doing,” he stated.

As fans await the kick-off of next season on October 16, it remains to be seen if the league will announce a lead sponsor ahead of the commencement date.