AITEO Commends Super Falcons Class of 1999, Says Feat Yet to Be Matched

Africa’s leading energy solutions company, AITEO, has commended the Super Falcons class of 1999 who were celebrated at the AITEO-NFF Awards ceremony in Lagos last night, stressing that the feat achieved by the squad is yet to be matched by successive teams.

According to Mr Benedict Peters, the CEO/Founder of the AITEO Group who was represented by Ms Samira Buhari at the 3rd edition of the AITEO-NFF Awards ceremony, “Tonight, as we celebrate the best in Nigerian football, the spotlight is on the Nigerian National Women’s Football Team, Super Falcons set of 1999. They were a team that took African women’s football to another level, breaking several records. Just as we have the Super Eagles Class of 94, we also have the Super Falcons Class of 99.”

The AITEO CEO representative said that as an organization, “AITEO is committed to developing and promoting football at all levels in Nigeria and across the African continent.

“This commitment is manifested in our significant investments into some of the biggest football initiatives including the Aiteo-CAF Awards, Aiteo Cup and the Aiteo-NFF Awards. Our indefatigable Founder /Group CEO and Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Benedict Peters’ vision and dedication to the empowerment of the Nigerian youth gave birth to this laudable initiative.”

Quoting Mr Peters, the AITEO executive said: “Mr. Benedict Peters succinctly captured the inspiration behind our football investments when he said, “The moments of anxiety and excitement shared when our nation’s soccer diplomats engage other nations in the round leather game are priceless and unforgettable.

“Aiteo is motivated to continue to invest in football, having watched the Nigerian National teams play their hearts out and fans across the country lay their common defences aside to cheer them.”

As Africa’s leading energy solutions company, AITEO said it understands that the key to Nigeria’s future lies in the vibrancy and enterprise of its large, youthful population.

“Football is one of the areas in which we have remained committed to empowering our youth. Football is an entertaining game. Beyond that, it has the power to stimulate unity, friendship, and inclusion. The lines of ethnic, religious, and economic divisions are often blurred in the excitement of cheering our favourite teams when they play.

“Nevertheless, football itself has been impacted by inclusion. While it is still a male dominated sport, there has been significant progress in female participation in football.

“Around the world, we have seen the conditions under which women participate in the sport improve significantly. More attention is also being paid to women’s football more than ever. For instance, over 9.8 million French viewers watched the opening game of the 2019 FIFA World Cup, more than for any women’s football match in the past.

“Also, while women remain vastly underrepresented in football decision-making, the current FIFA has recorded a feat in this regard, appointing the first female Secretary-General, Ms. Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura, who is here with us tonight. In this regard, we salute the strides of the FIFA President, Mr. Gianni Infantino, who is promoting equality in football participation while keeping his eye on increasing revenue for the sport.”

AITEO commended the efforts of the federal government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari in promoting women’s football in the country.

“Please permit me to also appreciate the first lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari for championing the organization of the maiden Aisha Buhari Cup, an international women’s football tournament currently holding in Lagos. The first lady has been a strong pillar of women empowerment in the country with numerous initiatives to this regard.

I also want to appreciate His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Oluwho is our host for tonight. Mr Governor’s love for football and women inclusion saw him recently leading eminent political bigwigs to declare open the Aisha Buhari Cup.”

The AITEO Group further commended the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), “which has been a committed partner in our drive to develop football across sundry levels in Nigeria. We salute the courage of our eminent friend, the president of the NFF, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, whose dedication to our partnership has led to a remarkable transformation in Nigerian football.

“In addition, I would like to thank the members of the dynamic Aiteo team who have kept the mandate through their loyalty, hard work, and professionalism. Present here tonight, is Mr. Francis Peters, the Group Deputy Vice Chairman.

We also have Mr. Victor Okonkwo Okonkwo, the Group Managing Director, as well as Mr. Andrew Onyearu, our General Counsel.”