Arsenal FC Embarks On Playing Tour In Nigeria, 2012

A delegation from English Premier League club Arsenal arrived Nigeria on Monday ahead of a playing tour next summer.

Led by the club’s Managing Director Angus Kaneer, the team arrived in Lagos and immediately proceeded to Abuja for a meeting with the Nigeria Football Federation.

“The Arsenal officials arrived in Lagos this morning, and left for Abuja immediately,” Shehu Dikko, one of the major finainciers of the tour, told Tidesports.

“They are here to inspect facilities and arrange logistics plus security in anticipation of the proposed summer tour in July 2012,” Shehu Dikko of Inter-Projects Associates, one of the organisers along with Danjan Sports Consult, told Tidesports.

NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu confirmed to Tidesports that the federation would meet with the delegation on Monday.

“We received a letter from them requesting a meeting on Monday and we met with them in the afternoon,” he said.

Apart from Kaneer, the Arsenal team also includes Mark Ellis, Club Secretary and Head of Administration, and Paul Johnson Chief of Security/Logistics.

The delegation also includes David Omigie of Danjan Sports.

It will be the first such visit to Nigeria for the high-profile London club and follows a short tour by Premier League rivals Manchester United and Portsmouth three years ago, also organised by the same outfit.

NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu who received the delegation said that football is an intense passion in Nigeria which some commentators even elevate to a religion at times.

Amadu said: “I heartily welcome you to our great football country, a nation of 167 million passionate football fans who come together and identify with themselves much better when the issue on the table is the round leather game.

“Two years ago, Manchester United FC and Portsmouth FC delegations were pleasantly surprised at the reception they got from ordinary Nigerian ball fans in this country.

While observing that indeed, apart from Europe and North America, and some parts of Asia, Arsenal’s most passionate supportership must be within Nigeria, Amadu urged the English club to be ready to provide advice to the Nigeria Premier League and technical support to some Nigerian Clubs.

“This visit, I want to observe, will definitely provide a strong platform for a much better relationship between the English Premier League (EPL) and the Nigeria Premier League (NPL). Incidentally, the NPL is just returning firmly to its feet after protracted crisis and will welcome tips and suggestions on how to re-position powerfully for the upcoming season.

“It is also important that I mention that some of our football Clubs, particularly those in the Premier League, would welcome some form of technical partnership with Arsenal Football Club”, said Amadu.

Other members of the Arsenal delegation included Paul Johnson, First Team Travel and Equipment Manager, Shehu Dikko, former NFF Secretary General, Ambassador Fanny Amun, member of House of Representatives, Hon. Razak Bello-Osagie, David Omigie, John Okusi and Kelvin Ideha.