Message of Welcome by MUMINI ALAO, President, NaijaSuperFans:
“TOGETHER AS ONE ONLINE”
I HAVE THE PLEASURE to welcome YOU to naijasuperfans.com.ng, the online community forum for Nigerian sports fans at home and in diaspora.
This forum has been in the making for quite a while and I’m just glad it has been born finally.
The forum was inspired by readers of Complete Sports, Complete Football, Sports Souvenir and the several other publications from the stable of Complete Communications Limited, Nigeria’s pioneer providers of written sport content. Long after some of the these titles were rested, members of our readership community continue to demand for them. And because I AM INVOLVED, I have received many of those requests directly. I was often left wondering: “Even after all these years?”
Due to the disruption to traditional print media operations and the migration of a section of readership to digital and social media, we concluded that the only place to reunite our legion of fans will have to be World Wide Web. And here we are now, TOGETHER AS ONE ONLINE!
One major difference between the old format of reporting and the new is that YOU THE READERS will have a greater say in the content creation and distribution. I have always posited that we journalists are only privileged to have greater access to sources of information. When it comes to writing well-informed opinion pieces and doing critical analysis of issues, our readers are very well equipped.
Thanks to the Internet, now you have the power to DIRECT THE CONVERSATION. Sharpen your pens or, more appropriately, your keyboards.
NAIJASUPERFANS.COM.NG belongs to the fans. We are only custodians on their behalf. We will set the agenda for discussion but members of the community have the power to set a different agenda. We will make suggestions on topics but the members are liberty to accept or reject.
Welcome to NAIJASUPERFANS.COM.NG, Nigeria’s number one sports community.
IMPORTANT SECTIONS ON THE HOME PAGE
I wish to introduce some of the important sections on the home page of NaijaSuperFans.com.ng.
There are six main categories on the menu bar with a large number of sub-categories attached especially under the FORUM CATEGORIES. But following here below are sections that have been specially positioned on the home page for the immediate delight of members….
1. TOP CONVERSATIONS
I have written about this already in my introduction. This actually is the main feature of the website where all conversations take place. Topics of discussion can range from Super Eagles to Super Falcons; Athletics to Weightlifting; English Premier League (EPL) to Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL); Liverpool to Lobi Stars; Enyimba International to FC Barcelona; Formula One to Ram Fighting; NBA to Wimbledon; Tiger Woods to Haruna Quadri; Politics to Entertainment; Gernot Rorh to Godwin Emefiele; and Muhammadu Buhari to Davido!
NaijaSuperFans.com.ng will discuss every issue under the sun or the moon, except issues specifically prohibited by the moderator. Members are also free to write in English or Pidgin English. They can simply JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
2. HISTORY
We often hear about the so-called “dwindling readership culture” in Nigeria. We hear that the younger generation “don’t want to read.” We beg to differ. Our own experience is that when the content is rich and interesting, sports fans will read to the end of the story and ask for more.
This is the motivation behind our History section. Older fans are nostalgic about the rich history of our sports while younger fans are eager to be informed about it. NaijaSuperFans.com.ng has lots of gripping historical stuff that will keep members glued to the platform.
3. VIDEOS
NaijaSuperFans.com.ng is designed to be a “video-centric” community. There will be lots of exclusive video interviews and short documentaries to excite members. The members also are allowed to create their own videos for broadcast on the platform after getting the necessary approval.
4. QUIZ AND WIN
Complete Communications Limited have a long-standing tradition of rewarding our readers with fantastic prizes. There will be lots of giveaways and freebies on NaijaSuperFans.com.ng. But you must be a registered member to participate. So, register now!
5. SUPER FANS STORY
Apart from the forum discussions under Top Conversations, members of the NaijaSuperFans community are permitted to write THEIR OWN STORIES about their personal life experiences on the platform. It could be sport of or non-sport related. All is welcome. I’m a fan, too, so you’ll be reading a bit from me as well.
6. COMPLETE FOOTBALL ARCHIVE
Like the History section, this is another special section for nostalgia and education. Obviously, Complete Football has a rich trove of content documenting the biggest achievements and disappointments in Nigerian football especially starting from the 1980s. By reading through the archive, older readers will be transported back in time to re-enact the moments, while younger readers will get first-hand, eye-witness account of events that happened before some of them were even born. Priceless.
7. POLITICS & BUSINESS
Yes, we will talk about Nigeria’s socio-political and economic issues on NaijaSuperFans.com.ng. These are issues that affect our everyday lives as members of the Nigerian community, so we can’t leave it to the politicians or those running the economy alone. When we feel strongly about an issue, we will make our voices heard as a sports fans community.
8. ENTERTAINMENT
Sport is an arm of entertainment, but we will also discuss other arms of entertainment beyond sport on our forum. If you’re a keen sports fan and also a follower of Nollywood, the Nigerian music and comedy scene or a just a celebrity freak, you’re welcome to discuss your interest on NaijaSuperFans.com.ng.
These are just a few of the attractions on the Naijasuperfans.com.ng home page.
PROHIBITIONS
NaijaSuperFans.com.ng prohibits issues on religion, ethnicity and tribes from discussions on the forum. These are subject matters that are quite divisive in the Nigerian society. Sports, on the under hand, is the biggest unifier and we will not allow the divisive issues to disrupt our unity of purpose on this platform.
Also prohibited are strong and abusive language. Members must show courtesy to each other and tackle the issues, rather than the personality of other Super Fans. The moderator has the authority to sanction erring members with suspension and/or expulsion. Furthermore, sexually explicit, gory or frightening content and/or images are disallowed.
In the meantime, let’s ignore the negatives and focus on the positives. We are set to have lots of fun and benefits for members in this community as you will discover from day to day. Tighten your seat belts and lets grow TOGETHER AS ONE. Welcome.
Mumini Alao
President
Hi Super Fans,
I am excited, as I hope you are also, to be a part of this esteemed community of sports super fans across the world. Naija Super Fans is a community that will be a part of you and as we work hard every day to provide quality, unique and interesting content to keep us talking about the different sports we love and other matters that affect us, we hope to build a community of purpose.
Our watchword is building a community of people who, despite our diversities, are trying to achieve a similar end in their quest for knowledge and sports inclusion. A community such as ours will serve a functional purpose, smoothening the knowledge path of each member at different times about a given sporting activity, event, or personality.
For the purpose of clear and concise communion, the categories of contents available to you all community members will be restricted to the majors – The Super Eagles, the top European football leagues and clubs, our own Nigeria Professional Football League and our players playing abroad, and other sports like Tennis, Basketball and Formula One. As has been mentioned multiple times already, this is a community and as such, my desk will be open to receiving content advice and suggestions from time to time.
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With the co-operation of you all my fellow Super Fans, I have absolutely no doubt in my heart that we are filling a vacuum in the annals of sports history in Nigeria and, in addition to my promise of top-notch features and conversation topics from the Content desk, I also wish to welcome you to a new realm of online sports engagement.
Enjoy the ride!
Olawale Agbede
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