Sport Sponsorship: Okpekpe Road Race Organisers Laud Adenuga’s Impact

Mike Itemuagbor, organizer of the historic Okpekpe international 10km road race, has saluted the owner of Globacom Telecommunications, Mike Adenuga Jnr who turned 70 on Saturday.

In a congratulatory message, Itemuagbor says the ‘Guru’, as Adenuga is known in business circles, deserves to be celebrated by Nigeria and Nigerians for the giant strides he has made in business and sports.

‘Today we celebrate my Godfather, a rare gem, a quintessential philanthropist, an astute businessman, and a patriotic Nigerian whose journey through life has been a huge plus to humanity,’ wrote Itemuagbor in the congratulatory message.

Itemuagbor says Adenuga is an amazing trailblazer who broke barriers for the common good.

‘We thank God for this day, and we pray He grants you many more years in good health and prosperity,’ he wrote in the congratulatory message.

Adenuga, through one of his companies, Globacom has been the number one supporter of sports in Nigeria and indeed the African continent.

‘For years he supported Nigerian football and ensured the Super Eagles became African champions again in 2013 when they won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. He was for many years the sole sponsor of the CAF/Glo Awards.’

‘He is also one of the few Nigerians that identified with the Nigerian league and made sure it became a brand courted by many corporate citizens,’ said Itemuagbor who reveals Adenuga’s sponsorship of the Glo Half Marathon in the 2000s shaped his foray into athletics sponsorship.

‘Through his inspiration and those of others I started the Okpekpe international 10km road race that has become the reference point for road running events in West Africa today.

‘The race is not just the first to have its course measured by a World Athletics accredited measurer but also the first to get a label status in 2015, seven long years after World Athletics started classifying road races across the globe.

‘Today and through our pioneering efforts, as many as 17 road races have had their race course measured by World Athletics and, looking back, we can say the likes of chief Adenuga opened the way for the road running culture we are trying to create in the country.’

The ninth edition of the race will hold later this month in Okpekpe in Edo state, South South Nigeria and it will be the first glo label 10km road race that will be organised in Nigeria.

The race is supported by Petralon Energy, Development Bank, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Edo state government, Supersport and AIT.