From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Commissioner for Sports, Nwaobilor Ananaba has said the state government will use sports to not only promote made in Aba products, but also leverage on it to boost her economy.
Nwaobilor made these known during the official presentation of a ₦10m prize money cheque for the 2025 season of the Fifty-1 Alliance Abia State Football Supalig 5-a-Side Championship, at the Alliance’s Sports Centre, Umuafor, Aba.
The Sports Commissioner said henceforth the state government will pay serious attention to sports business, stressing that the state stands the chance of leveraging on Aba to boost its economy through sports merchandising.
“So, we want to leverage on that and start making sports merchandise in terms of football boots, football trainers and other sporting equipments.
“We just finished the NDDC Sports Festival in Uyo and we want to confirm that what we wore were all made in Aba and we can do better by supporting them to get into the bigger business for sports and economic growth.”
He described the launching of the official launch of the Fifty-1 Alliance Abia State Football Supalig 5-a-Side Championship as an epic achievement that has come to change the football space of the state, using the sport usher in hitherto untapped business for the state.
The Commissioner regretted that when he came on board; he inherited a lot of rots and neglect in sports, but expressed joy that today, the story is no longer the same.
“We’re thinking of sports as a business. Sports is not just jumping, running and getting medals. There’s a business behind it and that’s why athletes in America, Europe and the rest of the world make huge sums of money every week. So, we’re thinking about that direction in Abua,” he said.
The Commissioner said the Supalig 5-a-Side Championship will enjoy huge coverage because of the live broadcast of the matches, which he said will go along way in raising the funds needed to keep the league running and thanked Governor Alex Otti for his full support.
Chairman of Fifty-1 Alliance, Mr Dike Dimiri said the company was among those attracted to invest in Abia through the sound leadership of Governor Otti which has assured many people that it is safe to invest in Abia State.
Explaining details of the Supalig, Dimiri said, “It has a prize of ₦10 million, which will be shared evenly across the 8 clubs that’ll be taking part.
“Each match is going to be 40 minutes. The Abia State referees association are be involved. There is nothing that will be done at the Supalig that’ll not be official.”
He disclosed there will be no relegation in the league. “The day you get tired of managing your club, you get a buyer and sell the club. It’s not an asset you own for life. You’re free to sell and focus on other things. That’s the mentality we’re bringing to football.”
He promised to take Abia to the global sports map with the Supalig.