TheCable

Shehu Abdullahi, the Super Eagles right-back, has emerged as the first winner of ‘The Big Bull Rice’ Man of the Match award instituted by TGI Group, the official food partner of the Super Eagles.

Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group is an international investment and holding company with diversified interests and investments in Nigeria, Ghana, Republic of Benin, Morocco, UAE, South Africa, India and several other emerging markets

Shehu Abdullahi was voted the match of the match for Nigeria in the Nigeria versus Zambia World Cup Qualifier played in Uyo on Saturday.

A cheque of N1 million was presented to the Nigeria international who plays for Anorthosis club shortly after the match by Onyekachi Onubogu, executive director, TGI Group and Sumit Jain, chief financial officer, WACOT Limited after the Super Eagles won the match by 1-0 through Alex Iwobi’s goal at the 75th minutes.

Congratulating the first recipient of the award, Onubogu, stated that the award is now to be known as “The Big Bull Rice Man of The Match” with a prize of N1 million cash alongside 10 bags of Big Bull Rice to be donated to a charity of the player’s choice.

“We are making the presentation right here on the pitch at the end of the match because we believe this is something that will continue to motivate the players to perform excellently well and encourage a culture of excellence,” Onubogu said.

While emphasizing the unifying role of soccer in Nigeria, Onubogu stated that the goal of his conglomerate is to ensure that the Super Eagles does not only qualify for the 2018 World Cup but that the team puts up an unprecedented impressive performance at the competition in Russia.

It would be recalled that TGI Group was unveiled as the official food partner of the Super Eagles for the next three years on Friday at a joint press conference which took place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday by Amaju Pinnick, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), other members of his executive committee.

Responding, the player commending Big Bull Rice for the award and stated that it will further motivate him and other members of the Super Eagles to give their best to the team.