Winner emerges in football tournament led by Nigerian celebrity coaches

After 13 weeks of competition, Team Reminisce thrashed Team Juliet Ibrahim to win the third edition of the Fanz Championship Africa, themed the Super Me edition.

The star players of the competition were popular indigenous rapper, Reminisce, and Ghanaian star actress, Juliet Ibrahim.

Victory came with a cash prize of N2 million for the team, N1 million cash for the coach, a phototherapy machine and incubator to be donated to a community of the team’s choice as part of the philanthropic initiative of the organisers, Abelinis Limited.

For the indigenous lyricist, Reminisce, his team’s victory underscored his deep love for the game of football, saying, “If I were not a rapper, I would have been a footballer.”

On her part, Ms Ibrahim, popular Ghanaian actress, said that coming that far in the competition during which her team edged out several male-coached teams was an indication that she was no pushover when it comes to football.

Speaking after the show which aired on the HipTV, Abiodun Oshinibosi, project marshal of Abelinis Limited, said the success of this year’s show underscored his team’s determination to ensure that the Fanz Championship Africa, a quiz format game show for football followers and lovers on television, remains as engaging and interactive as ever.

“For the past three years, we have consistently engaged football lovers and followers by offering a platform where their knowledge of the game is richly rewarded while providing entertainment and rewards to viewers,” he said, continuing, “We are treading on the background that football is a strong unifying factor globally which also enjoys wide acceptance and patronage.” Mr. Oshinibosi further said.

This edition had celebrity coaches like Sexy Steel, Bash the Comedian, Sossick, Toyin Ibitoye, Alexx Ekubo, Biola Kazeem, 9ice, Juliet Ibrahim, Reminisce, Helen Paul, Illbliss and Shina Okeleyi.

Others are DJ Neptune, Deji Omotoyinbo, Juliet Mafua and Jide Alabi.

Essentially, the coaches lead a three-member team through an intense yet, exciting process trading tackles on wit, speed and knowledge of the football industry as a whole while a team is eliminated every week.