By Ime Bassey
The name, Augustus Onwuemezie-Ikenwe would not really ring a bell in the ears of most football followers today but would not be forgotten easily as a skillful player in his days. The former Julius Berger and BCC Lions of Gboko was amongst those that missed the Saudi ’89 World Youth in which Nigeria came second.

In this interview with Sunday Vanguard Sports, he speaks on the formation of Cerezo Queens, the first professionally run female football in the country. Excerpt:

What prompted Cerezo Queens into what it is today and how has it been like?

I lost my wife on May 29, 2009 and I wanted to immortalize her name. So, I felt that she being an avid football follower, I resolved to set up a football club registered in her name to compete in the league. The club was finally launched on September 19, 2009 in Ilorin. We started in the amateur rank but now we are in the pro-league.

How was it like in-between playing in the amateur league and getting the promotion?

Every good thing has its own challenges. Cerezo Queens have grown from an amateur side to a professional team, even at that, as an amateur team, everything that we had done, followed professional lines, from kitting to welfare package down to accommodation and travel arrangements.

You talked about professional lines, how much have you been able to market the club?

We have been able to build equity around the club and started selling some of its characteristics to organizations wanting to maximize their visibility vie our jersey, pitch panels etc.

Fortunately for me, Sylverbird Group bought into the idea and has been massive in their support. Also, I see it as their corporate social responsibility to take these girls out of the street to achieve their ‘Nigerian dream’. I want to thank the management of Silverbird Group, Mr Ben Murray-Bruce, Roy Murray-Bruce especially and Guy Murray-Bruce.

Now, how much lives have the club touched since its inception?

As I speak, 32 individuals from different families and backgrounds have been imparted positively by this club. They collect salaries and other allowances even down to what we call ‘monthly kit’ which contains beverages and even sanitary pads for the girls. I look at it from what my wife would have done.

In terms of social responsibility, Sylverbird has been able to help in making these girls achieve their dreams in football and also in education because most of them are students of the University of Ilorin and Kwara State Polytechnic. More so, we have produced two graduates, which actually has helped our technical play on the pitch because a literate person will be able to interpret coaches tactics well.

Would there be additional sponsorship deals for the club besides Silverbird?

We are a growing venture and one an adventure which is continuous, so we would create visibility for smaller brands. In terms of pitch panels, airline, training concession. Etc. We would be the first female team to travel by air for its away matches in this country.

What is the club’s target for next season which starts February next year?

We want to qualify for the Super 6 and get to the semi final of the Federation Cup.

The just concluded Female Federation Cup, the team lost out in the first round, some persons said it was stage fright, do you agree with them?

I totally disagree with them because we did not just lose but to two of the biggest teams in the country which have been there for long. We lost to 0-1 to Pelican Stars and 2-1 to Bayelsa Queens which we scored first.

Our emphasis was to qualify for the professional league which we did but it was good that we played these teams because they gave us what we would experience in the league proper. We have very competent technical adviser in Charles Duku.

We are informed that over 50 players have turned in there interest to play for Cerezo Queens, how do you feel about this?

It is a fall-out of the teams’ image and professionalism. We are a team that is realistic in its dealings with players. I will never sign a player and tell her I will pay her salary that I can’t and won’t afford. I will never do that. My integrity and that of our major sponsor, Sylverbird is at stake and I can’t afford to drag it to the mud. That is why players are showing their interest because we want to set a standard that goes beyond the borders of this country.

Cerezo queens hasn’t gotten into the ears of Nigerians. What are you putting in place to make fans discover the team and follow it passionately?

We have created a season’s ticket for our fans. We intend to encourage secondary school students to come watch us play with massive incentives because we know that the game is for the youth. To draw this followership faster and better, we have created our website and a 30 minute programme to highlight the team’s matches and all that has to do with branding. This will be aired in Silverbird TV and Kwara TV. For now, we have tagged it – Cerezo Football TV.

What would be your bench mark of satisfaction at the end of the day?

I want to win the league and Federation Cup over and over again so we will become a bench mark for other football clubs to follow professionally, be it male or female. What Silverbird has done with the media in this country, we want to do it with football which is still part of entertainment.

Now that you are a football administrator, are we seeing you vying for posts in the female league board in years to come?

No, not at all, sincerely speaking, I do not have time for politics and I do not see myself in it. I just want to immortalize the name of my wife and my son to be happy about it as the chairman.

Are you saying that your son owns the club?

Obviously! He owns 60 per cent of the club. The club is a limited liability company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. I report to him as the executive vice chairman as he is under age (11 yrs). When he is 18, he takes over.

Fewer or no club in Nigeria has actually diversified its brand beyond football, as a professional marketer, will Cerezo Queens tow that light?

We have set certain time lines for certain companies to come in and identify with us. At the end of next season if possible, we want to start the first female pre-season tournament in the country. We are looking at bringing female teams from outside the shores of the country. Precisely from the UK and may be Germany and Sweden. The government of Kwara State has given us a standard stadium, the Ilorin Township Stadium which is one of the best in this country for now. I am very grateful to the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and his predecessor, Alhaji Bukola Saraki.

The way you are sounding, it seems like you want to make the club the richest female club in Nigeria?

Yes, we are looking at that but the major thing is to make it the benchmark for other clubs in the country. We intend going into heavy merchandising with our own sport lounge and other things.

Your intention of setting up the club was to immortalize the name of your late wife by way of touching lives. Would you say you are close to it or still very far?

Yes, I have some level of satisfaction knowing that we are in the professional league now.

It gives me great joy to see these girls always smiling, I feel this way because I know if my wife was alive, she would feel the same way.