Lagos SWAN unveils sponsor, partners for SWAN Cup 2014

The Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Lagos Chapter yesterday at its secretariat at the National Stadium Lagos, unveiled Winners Golden Bet.com as the major sponsor for this year’s Lagos SWAN Cup billed to kick off next week Thursday, April 24 at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The body also unveiled some of its other partners for the event which include Nigeria Sports Award; Owu Sports wears outfit among others.

Deji Beecroft Assistant General Manager of WinnersGoldenBet.com in his comment said that the company decided to support the SWAN because of the role of the sporting media in Nation building.

“Sports reporting is a very complicated job that needs lots of courage and sense of timing and Lagos SWAN members have done well in reporting events both locally and internationally thereby making it easy for Nigerians to follow happenings in this various competitions across the world, hence our resolve to support this event”. He informed.

Chairman of the body, Fred Edoreh said at the unveiling ceremony which also had in attendance ex-international, Paul Okoku as well as Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) Alhaji Tade Azeez and former Head of Communications, Multichoice, Segun Fayose

“Our new sponsor, Winners Golden Bet.com is a reputable sports business organisation which has shown tremendous capacity and commitment to sports development and provision of added value for sports fans and enthusiasts and we are very happy and extremely grateful to associate with them for the SWAN Cup,” said Edoreh.

Ex-international Paul Okoku

The SWAN Cup designed to promote healthy living and friendship among journalists on the sports desks of the various media houses is the major feature of the Lagos SWAN Week. The week shall also feature a seminar on “Sports journalism and nation building”, a topic which the SWAN chairman says “is most imperative at this point in the development of our nation.”

Meanwhile, the 16 teams participating in this year’s edition of the SWAN Cup have been drawn into four groups of four teams each. Defending champions, Complete Sports; TVC; LTV/Eko FM and Radio Nigeria are in Group A while last edition’s runners up, NTA leads Group B. Others in the group include City FM; Cool FM and Sportsville.

In Group C are former champions, SportsDay; SuperSports; Brila FM and Top Radio while Silverbird; Mastersports; Sky Sports and The Sun Newspapers are in Group D.
Edoreh announced that Team Lagos SWAN will take on Team Nollywood in a novelty match which will herald the opening ceremony of the championship.

Kunle Adeyeye of FRCN Conducting the Draws

Group A
Complete Sports
TVC/Radio Continental
LTV/Eko FM
Radio Nigeria

Group B
NTA
City FM
CoolWazobiaInfo
Sportsville

Group C
SportsDay
SuperSports
Brila FM
Top Radio

Group D
Silverbird
Mastersports
Sky Sports
The Sun Newspapers

Walter Oyatogun for burial March 28

The remains of the late ace sports broadcaster, Walter Oyatogun, will be laid to rest on March 28, 2014 at the Ikoyi Cemetary in Lagos.

According to the funeral programmes released by the family of the deceased iconic broadcaster, Oyatogun’s final journey will begin on March 27, with a novelty match between the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, AGN, and the MITV/Star FM team, in his honour.

There will also be, what the family described as “The last lap” to mark Walter Oyatogun’s love for jogging. “Our intention is to take him, for the last time, round the National Stadium, which used to be his favourite jogging spot” his children, Moyo and Mofe explained in a letter to the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Lagos Chapter.

The last lap will be followed by a service of songs at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos. The service of songs will feature a number of choirs, singing groups, including the grand children of the late Oyatogun.

To respect his last wish, the body of the late ace broadcaster will lie-in-state at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on March 28 and interment will follow thereafter at the Ikoyi Cemetary while entertainment of guests follows at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos between 4:00pm and 9:00pm.