As football is about the only revered sport that unites Nigerians, an Africa-first culture platform for millennials, The NATIVE, has partnered with globally recognised athletic performance brand, Nike, to release a limited-edition football jersey heavily influenced by the Nigerian culture.
According to a statement by the firm Thursday, The NATIVE x Nike exclusive football jersey embodies the heart and soul of the football culture in Nigeria, acknowledging both the streets of Lagos where the sport prevails and the national football team in the design, with the area code (+234) printed on one arm, and The NATIVE logo on the other.
It said the white lines on the jersey represent tire marks referencing the streets of Lagos, the eagle crest references the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, and ‘ILÉ’, the Yoruba word for ‘home’ that appears on the back of the jersey unites the local and diaspora Nigerian community.
It stated further that the pre-release of the jersey’s last December in Lagos, before the global release in January 25th, 2019 further highlights the cultural importance of football for Nigerians and the origin of The NATIVE who carry Lagos proudly on their back.
The co-founders of The NATIVE, Seni Saraki and TeeZee, are both passionate about the sport and the relevance of ball to life.
TeeZee is responsible for the popular Lagos semi-pro Thursday Night Football league, while Saraki has a football academy in Kwara State, North-central Nigeria.
“We wanted to create something that wouldn’t look out of place on the field and in the club. In Nigeria, the football shirt has always been a vital piece in anyone’s wardrobe.
“Taking inspiration from Adire (traditional Nigerian clothing) and the street football culture with the tire marks, we wanted to create a jersey that felt like home, which was why we had a pre-release last December in Lagos, our home, before the global release,” Saraki said.
The limited-edition jersey will be available for purchase from Friday, January 25.
