Page 46 - LionKing

FEATURE
We are definitely getting an adult dose of football this season. Besides all the foreign League
matches we love so much (Champions League, LaLiga, Premiere League, etc) we got FIFA Women’s World Cup, AFCON, and now, wait for it, ...UBA’s very own cup of nations. Yes, you heard right, UBA’s cup of African nations - the UBA Chairman’s Cup®.
You won’t believe how pulpable the excitement was when the green light was given for UBA Chairman’s Cup, a foot- ball tournament between teams from all 20 countries of UBA’s operations across Africa. The objective of the tournament is to engender mutuality, promote healthy living, and foster team spirit amongst staff across all UBA’s business locations in Afri- ca. It is part of the Bank’s team bonding initiatives geared towards encouraging
cultural exchange amongst its diverse and rapidly increasing workforce across the continent.
It is going to be a tough one predicting who will come out tops in this tourney, considering that UBA has very strong football teams, arguably the best, in a number of its countries of operation. Right now, it’s all words, steam and excitement as the teams gear up for the showdowns in August.
However, we know for sure that at the end of the day, it’s going to be a tough game of balls, as we look forward to seeing the most resilient teams emerge tops.
We met some of the contesting teams to hear what they have to say about the tourney:
“
You won’t believe how pulpable the excitement
was when the green light was given for UBA Chairman’s Cup...
SYLLA THIERNO OUMAR
/DEFENDER/
The UBA Guinea team was 2017 champion of the annual inter-bank tournament orga- nized in Guinea by the syndicate of banks, producing the best player and scorer. They were also semifinalists of the same tourna- ment in 2019, 2015 and 2014.
With 3 days of training per week, we pre- pare ourselves mentally too, thinking that this cup is within our reach, and that the only reason for our presence is to win it. We do not know the level of the opponents since it is the first time that a competition of this kind is organized by UBA, but we think, considering the passion that the African people have for football, the level will be high. But we are here to play, it’s a compe- tition and the best wins.
DIALLO MAMADOU
/MIDFIELDER/
EXPECT a show, beautiful game, fighting spirit and fair play. We intend to show all UBA lions that we are born competitors. We go there to win the cup, and will give our everything to win. Regarding the teams we are going to meet ahead, no fear, we trust our potential and are sure we will go far.
UBA Guinea has gone through difficult
times for 2 years and is fighting to restore its image. This competition is a way for us to talk about our subsidiary differently, to show that we also succeed in the difficulty, if we are determined.
We will dedicate this victory first to the staff of UBA Guinea who are fighting tooth and nail for UBA to regain its leading position in the Guinean market, and also to our MD/ CEO Ejiofor Ndubuisi for his support daily.
46 | The Lion King | April - June 2019