By Jacob Ajom

Henry Makinwa is head coach of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Ilorin FC, competing in Nigeria’s topflight soccer league. He speaks with a trained tongue and disarms one with his impeccable English. Makinwa who once played for Concord FC of Abeokuta speaks about the ambition of his club with modesty and refuses to build expectations even when, some others would have made a meal of such opportunities.

The occasion was the unveiling of the Puma-ABS 5-year kitting deal in Ilorin, which marked a milestone in the annals of Nigerian football. Makinwa admitted, “this deal, which is the first of its kind in Nigerian football, is a big challenge to me, to the players and to the club in general. It means we must up our game and churn out good results that would justify the confidence our sponsors have in us.”

Makinwa

He continued, “being kitted by Puma means we must behave well on and off the pitch. As a global brand, the challenge to us is big as we must behave in a manner that befits the jerseys we are wearing and the brand behind it.”

Does it mean Makinwa and his wards would go all out for the Nigeria Football Professional League title?

“Not at all,” he cuts in. “We are not yet there to aim for the title. We are small boys compared to other older and richer clubs in the league. We know where we belong.

“We will be very satisfied if, at the end of the season, we can retain our place in the Premier League. Presently, there are so many clubs better placed in the table ahead of us. We will do our best to remain in Nigeria Professional League.

“To be sincere, we have surpassed the target we set for ourselves. We have done very well because we never believed we would be competing in Nigeria’s topflight so soon. Yet, here we are rubbing shoulders with the high and mighty. But that has not blinded us to the reality; we are still small boys.”

His boss Alloy Chukwuemeka, who oversees the daily operations of the club was all smiles and in an expansive mood. He said that the Puma deal was about the best thing to have happened to any Nigerian club. “The five year deal cannot be quantified in monetary terms,” he started. “Puma will carter for the kitting needs of ABS Ilorin FC. It is for both the senior team and the academy teams. They will arrange friendly matches and also carter for the technical needs of the club.”

He said the club will also benefit in terms of player exposure through foreign trips, to be facilitated by Puma, international friendly matches and technical programmes that will see the sportswear giants bring technical personnel to train the coaches. The benefits are enormous.

Chukwuemeka said ABS’s playing style attracted the club to the sportswear giants. “We play the most attractive football in the country. If you heard what the Puma representative said, you would understand how hard we have worked to get to where we are today,”

Aderemi Adefolabi, the Brand Manager PUMA, Persianas Retail Limited said that the partnership was in line with Puma’s commitment to the growth and development of sports in Nigeria.

“ABS FC has shown potentials of being a great club not just in Nigeria, but also in Africa and this has informed PUMA’s decision to provide the necessary support for it to achieve its potentials”, Afolabi said.

ABS Ilorin FC (formerly known as Bukola Babes) first won promotion to the Premier League in 2009-2010. In 2011,they were put up for sale before being purchased by Bukola

Saraki. They narrowly maintained Premier League status in consecutive seasons before being relegated in 2013.

After two seasons in the NNL, ABS Ilorin was taken over and restructured by Senator i Saraki, now Senate President. ABS Ilorin won the NNL in 2016 and were promoted to the NPFL.