NPFL: The Remarkable Story of Rivers Utd under Eunisell’s Sponsorship
Olu Osagie
Today’s marriage between Eunisell and Rivers United started with Sharks Football Club, now defunct.
Sharks FC was then the preferred team in Port-Harcourt when Eunisell decided to make an entry into the Nigeria Professional Football League, in 2015.
The reason was simple. Eunisell operates in the Garden City and wanted to invest in a modest team to turn it into NPFL champions.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015, remains historic as both parties signed the sponsorship deal at a time Sharks Football Club was struggling to retain its top flight status.
At the consummation of the sponsorship deal, Group Managing Director of Eunisell, Chika Ikenga, asserted that it was not just to benefit the club alone, but also to raise consciousness for brands to show interest in the NPFL.
Above all, Eunisell was determined to ensure the club didn’t go down to the second tier league.
For the first time in the country, Eunisell conceived “Cash For Goals” as part of strategies to salvage the club. Despite attempts to ensure safety, the club was eventually relegated at the end of the season.
Determined to see Sharks make an instant return to the top flight, Eunisell chose to extend its sponsorship of the team in the second tier league.
From Sharks to Rivers United
In 2016, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, decided to merge relegated Sharks and Dolphins, also owned by the state, in February 2016. The decision produced a new team, Rivers United.
To ensure a smooth take off for this new team, Eunisell kept to its promise to stay with “Sharks” by sponsoring Rivers United and Ikenga assured the team that the brand was in for what will be a long term relationship with the club.
That promise from inception was to ensure its sponsorship was not only to support the club, but turn the club into champions in Nigeria.
For Eunisell, sponsoring Rivers United remains a strategy to be part of their history and ultimate success.
This success finally culminated in their emergence as Nigerian champions for the first time this season. It is not a surprise that Eunisell set the standard for club sponsorship in the NPFL.
Record Longest Running Sponsorship
Eunisell simply reinvented club sponsorship in the NPFL.
By extending its sponsorship from Sharks to the newly formed Rivers United, in 2016, Eunisell displayed readiness to lead a campaign for Nigerian brands to understand the importance of changing the NPFL narrative.
Since 2016 Eunisell has been on the shirt of the club as sponsor, a feat that makes it the longest running sponsorship in the NPFL.
Convinced Rivers United is the right partner for a long time sponsorship, Eunisell stayed with the club, despite its inability to win a trophy.
Rivers United came close in its first season but lost the title to Enugu Rangers.
In appreciation of the club’s impressive campaign in its first season in 2016, Eunisell announced a N10,000,000 bonus to the team.
Again, this was the first by any club sponsor in the NPFL.
Shockingly, Rivers struggled to reproduce results of its initial campaign.
To underscore his commitment to the team, Ikenga led a high powered Eunisell team to Sagamu to motivate the players at a time the club was having a poor run, during the 2017 season,
His presence resulted in a 3-1 away win against home side, Remo Stars.
2017 was the worst season in the club’s six year history as it finished on 15th position; two points above the drop zone, but the brand remained convinced Rivers United will emerge champions of Nigeria one day.
To further confirm its determination to make the club a model in the league, Eunisell introduced the Eunisell Rivers United Day. Organised in Port-Harcourt to bring the Rivers United brand closer to the fans, the Eunisell/Rivers United Day, is usually attended by players, club hierarchy, fans and the media.
2021/22: Champions At Last!
From inception of Eunisell’s sponsorship of Rivers United, Ikenga had reiterated the brand’s desire to see the club emerge champions.
The clarion call from Eunisell has always been one of the brand’s loyalty to Rivers United whether they fall or rise and irrespective of the economic situation in Nigeria.
Eunisell strongly believed its sponsorship provides a strong platform to become not just the winners of the Nigerian Professional Football League, but continental champions.
On several occasions, former Commissioner for Sports, Boma Iyaye and skipper Austin Festus, assured the brand that their target is to win a trophy for Eunisell’s unwavering commitment since 2016.
Rivers United started this season in tremendous form and finished as mid-season champions.
As a sign of its dominance, the club set a 12-match unbeaten run and even a 10-point gap ahead of its closest rival, Plateau United. This may even extends to 13 if they win their last game of the season at home this coming Sunday.
Delightfully, the club claimed the title with three matches to go.
During the second Eunisell Rivers Day celebration, in the state capital, in 2019, then Permanent Secretary in the State’s Ministry of Sports, James Enebeli, applauded the brand for its long term association with the club.
“It is not easy to invest consistently in a club, since 2015, from Sharks, now Rivers United, that has not actually won laurels to commensurate with the money on them,” Enebeli, represented by Director of Sports Development, Prudence I. Harry, said during the event.
For this consistency, it is no doubt that Eunisell is proud to be part of Rivers United’s history, success and transformation from a new club, in 2016, to a Nigerian powerhouse, in 2022.
