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Our Desire Is To Have Best NPFL-LMC

Published

6 years ago

November 13, 2019

…As NEXT TV, 9mobile Sign MOU For Production Of League Matches

Joel Ajayi

The Chairman of League Management Company LMC Alhaji Shehu Dikko has reiterated that the ultimate desire of the League Organizer is to ensure the best Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL.

He gave this assurance at the media briefing on the NPFL, Next Digital TV, and others on Tuesday in Abuja when the NEXT Digital TV and 9mobile have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the production of Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches.

The agreement was signed and sealed when Chairman of NEXT Digital TV, Prince Malik Ibrahim and Ag Director of Marketing, 9Mobile, Layi Orafowokan joined forces through the MOU in the presence of the LMC and prospective partners, First Bank, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) and Wema Bank.

Speaking at the briefing LMC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, explained the partnership as a strategic move in line with international best practice to help in growing the NPFL matches.

According to him, we are working tirelessly to ensure the best NPFL and with this partnership which was approved by the 20 NPFL club owners will change the narrative of Nigeria through a quality football and our priority is to take Nigerian league to the next level.

“What we are doing is something that is new, unique and has not been done before in this country, but it is what is been done everywhere across the globe to develop football”.

While Outlined the LMC, NPFL, NEXT Digital TV partnership that stand on Four pillars which include; Investment into NPFL Operations; Production of NPFL matches ; Sales of the NPFL content produced to ensure its broadcast across all platforms including the primary the Next TV OTT platform and commercialization of NPFL rights to generate enough revenues into the system with NPFL earnings hugely optimized.

“This will indeed allow free-flow of investment into the NPFL with a five-year projection of $200m.

“It’s only Nigerians that can develop Nigeria and we have to work with the best partners, delivery system and learn what is done in developed clime so that we can domestic it here”.

“The first pillar which is the most important is that we will invest in the NPFL and that will ensure that football will keep running and operating in a professional way”.

“The second pillar is that we will produce NPFL matches through the investment of NEXT TV, technical expertise and support. All over the world, league football is driving by production, which means if you don’t produce your content, you will not earn money. The reason why all global leagues are dominating our network is that somebody is producing those matches and put them on the plane for all networks to buy.

“The forecast of the five years’ agreement is $200m and it is a projection that is available with the guarantee that money will come into the league every year and everybody will be carried along,” Dikko stated.

He commended the Minister of sports, Sunday Dare, for supporting the initiative and insisted that the right things are done to move NPFL to the next level.

“I want to thank the minister of Sports, who has been very supportive of what we are doing since he came on board and also piled pressure to ensure that things are done in the right way to move our league to the next level.”

Speaking also, was the Chairman of the Next TV, Prince Malik Ibrahim, said the venture as Nigerian initiative, the investment is not for us but for all Nigerian that is why we are inviting and urging all stakeholders especially the media to come together and embrace it for the growth of Nigeria soccer.

“It is a joint venture investment in the production of NPFL matches and that makes them appealing to people both at home and other climes”.

“200million Nigerian is united by soccer and we need to take advantage of Digital Technology.

“We are united by soccer and it is a long term project that will take NPFL to the next level and the content will be available for everybody on the 9moblie network”.

While giving brief guide on how Next Digital TV will work, he said: “Nigerian don’t need decoder to watch the matches all we need is just your Phones, with your Phone anywhere in the world you will watch the league live that is why we are working with 9mobile to ensure there is network everywhere within and outside the country.

“Your Phone is your decoder just connects it with your TV and it will work.

“We are going to start with four matches as well as a highlight for others with 6 cameras in every match venue,” he explained.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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