NEWS
Coca-Cola Takes Five Lucky Winners to 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
Five lucky winners have emerged in the just concluded Coca-Cola Nigeria ‘Believe and Win’ Under the Crown Promotion. The winners will have a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience of an all-expense paid trip to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
It was gathered that this promotion builds on continued efforts to delight and refresh consumers across the country with rewards worth over N400m comprising instant airtime winnings across all mobile networks.
The five winners, according to a statement from CCNL, were selected from each region of the country – Lagos, West, East, Central, and North regions, through live draws in Lagos under the watchful eyes of officials of the National Lottery Regulatory Commissions (NLRC), and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), both of which applauded the company on its willingness to give back to consumers through football.
Congratulating the winners, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Alfred Olajide, urged them to make the most of the opportunity while enjoying the live action at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The first winner unveiled was Salihu Usman Wavah, a trader from the North region. Reacting to his winning, the unassuming Salihu was overwhelmed with emotions, during his official unveiling at the Coca-Cola Nigeria Office in Lagos. He described his winning as an opportunity of a lifetime. He said that his initial thought when he was notified was the incredulity of the entire situation as it seemed unbelievable.
In his words; “I want to thank God for this opportunity, I feel elated and proud. I appreciate Coca-Cola for this great privilege. When I first received the call, I was pleasantly surprised but skeptical, however, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt when the calls kept coming in from Coca-Cola. It’s been such a dream come true for me”.
The second winner under the promotion was Emordi Victor Olise, a final-year university student from the Central region, who decided to participate in the promotion with no particular expectation in mind. According to him, the promo initially became real to him when he received airtime after he dialed the code under the crown and subsequently, he could not contain his joy when he got the call from Coca-Cola during the live draw.
“When I got the first airtime, I said to myself that this is real, and I kept trying. Some days later, I received a call and was asked if I participated in the Coca-Cola Believe and Win Promo, I answered affirmatively. I was asked further questions and was thereafter confirmed to be a winner. I was very happy because I never thought that it was going to be so simple”, Emordi recounted.
The third winner, Emeka Philip Mordi, however, related a different experience. The businessman from the East region explained that he was grateful for the rare privilege. According to Mordi, his daughter encouraged him by religiously making the entries on his behalf through his preferred phone line. He maintained that his daughter had so much confidence in the promo and the company, Coca-Cola, that each time they shared a Coca-Cola beverage at home, she would tell him to dial the codes under the crown with his phone.
“My daughter consistently encouraged me to participate, saying, ‘Daddy you must go to Qatar’. A few days later, I got a call from an unknown number and was hesitant to answer but I picked up the call on the second ring. I was asked some questions, and to my utmost surprise, I was told that I had won a trip to Qatar”, he said amidst smiles.
The fourth winner was a young woman, Adefunke Ademokoya from the West region, who had decided to enter the promo for fun and the possibility of winning airtime. She indicated that she was not initially enthused about possible winnings as her family had dissuaded her from falling prey to scammers. However, her doubts were dispelled in the days that followed as she was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from Coca-Cola on her winning a trip to Qatar.
“This will be my first time traveling out of the country and I’m so glad that this is an all-expense paid trip. I’m sure that I’m going to have a lot of fun when I get to Qatar to watch the World Cup”, she excitedly remarked.
An enthusiastic Taiwo Olatunji was the fifth winner of an all-expense paid trip to Qatar under the ‘Belief and Win’ promo. He explained that one of his friends introduced the promo to him while they were enjoying a Coca-Cola beverage together. On his first attempt, he received airtime after dialing the code and this first winning provided the necessary inspiration to try again.
“The day I got a call from Coca-Cola would always be a day to remember as even my neighbors knew that something good had happened to me. I was very excited and I cannot wait to be in Qatar live. As a football enthusiast, I know that I’m going to have a wonderful time over there, all thanks to Coca-Cola and their amiable team”, he said passionately.
As official sponsors of the FIFA World Cup, the Coca-Cola Believe and Win Under the Crown promotion reflects Coca-Cola’s continued support for the football passion point across the country and a follow-up to other football-related activities as the 2022 FIFA World Cup games begin.
The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Ireti Kingibe, has wept openly that Nigeria has ‘become a nation that turns against its own children’.
The senator was reacting to the “arraignment of over 100 young boys, aged between 10 and 16, who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest,” in an adult court, against established legal standards.
She took to her verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Saturday, to shed tears and register her strong disappointment with all the parties involved in the shameful and illegal act.
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According to Sen Kingibe “How can a government tasked with protecting its citizens justify holding minors in correctional centers, treating their peaceful protest as a criminal offense?”
On the law enforcement agencies breaching the law, Sen Kingibe pointed out that, “According to Nigeria’s Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), minors between the ages of 1 and 17 should never be arraigned in adult criminal courts but instead in juvenile courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction over such cases. Yet, these minors were held in maximum correctional centers for over 85 days before being charged with treason.”
She expressed her firm position that all relevant stakeholders must “urgently unite to secure the immediate and unconditional release of these minors.”
Sen Kingibe wrote, “As the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, I condemn in the strongest terms the recent arraignment of over 100 young boys, aged between 10 and 16, who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest. These minors, who bravely voiced their grievances against the unbearable hardship and hunger ravaging our land, are now being charged with treason — an offense that, if found guilty, carries the death penalty.
“When did we become a nation that turns against its own children — our very hope for tomorrow? When did we lose our compassion and humanity to the extent that we humiliate, arrest, and drag young children into court for the “crime” of speaking out? This shameful prosecution of our youth is not only unjust — it is a betrayal of our humanity and an assault on our future. How can we stand idly by as the dreams of our children are crushed under the weight of oppression? This must end.
“This is utterly disgraceful, and everyone involved should feel ashamed. We owe our citizens, particularly our children, not just protection from external threats but also from unjust treatment within. Children deserve quality education, better healthcare, and protection from domestic violence and abuse, not brutal treatment for exercising their constitutional rights. According to Nigeria’s Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), minors between the ages of 1 and 17 should never be arraigned in adult criminal courts but instead in juvenile courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction over such cases. Yet, these minors were held in maximum correctional centers for over 85 days before being charged with treason.
“How have we, as leaders, stooped so low? Instead of addressing the root causes of their protest, we prosecute those who cry out against them. How can a government tasked with protecting its citizens justify holding minors in correctional centers, treating their peaceful protest as a criminal offense? When did peaceful protest — a fundamental right of citizens — become a crime in Nigeria?
“Numerous videos circulating on social media and news platforms show malnourished children with visible collarbones, countable ribs, fainting, crying, hungry, sick, and, most horrifically, being manhandled. This has turned us into an international embarrassment. If we cannot protect our own citizens, how can we expect to safeguard foreign investors whom we are actively trying to attract to our country?
“This is not only condemnable but an absolute disgrace, and it cannot stand. I demand that every relevant authority — the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Chief Justice of the Federation — as well as the Human Rights Commission and all human rights lawyers, urgently unite to secure the immediate and unconditional release of these minors. I also call upon all mothers and women across the nation to rise in protest against this deplorable treatment of our children. This is not the Nigeria we dreamed of; we cannot allow our future to be sacrificed in silence.”
In a significant development aimed at resolving the ongoing strike by non-academic university staff, the Federal Government has released funds to settle the long-overdue salaries owed to members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Federal Universities (NASU).
The funds will also cover outstanding pension payments for retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme.
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Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, confirmed the release in a statement on Saturday.
Mokwa stated that payments to NASU members have commenced, with numerous staff already confirming receipt of the funds.
The move comes after members of NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), operating under a Joint Action Committee, began an indefinite strike last Monday in protest over the withheld salaries.
The strike brought federal universities across the country to a standstill, with various academic and administrative services halted.
Several other unions and universities expressed support for the protest, amplifying calls for the funds’ immediate release.
Tensions between the union leadership and the federal government had escalated in recent days, despite a directive from President Bola Tinubu for payments to be made.
On Wednesday, SSANU leaders expressed frustration, stating that many top university officials, including vice-chancellors, bursars, and registrars, had yet to receive the outstanding salaries, further straining relations.
SSANU leadership vowed to keep university facilities shut until all owed salaries are fully disbursed.
“We will not resume activities in our universities until every last outstanding payment has been made,” SSANU leaders warned in a statement.
In his official statement, Mokwa reassured all concerned parties that the government has fulfilled its commitment to fund these payments, which he called “a priority move to alleviate the financial strain on university staff and retirees.”
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has alleged that the collapse of six suspects in court was a deliberate act intended to attract negative attention to law enforcement efforts.
The six individuals, part of a group of 76 mostly minor suspects facing charges related to the #EndBadGovernance protest, collapsed in the courtroom on Friday.
Related News: EndBadGovernance Protests: Court Sets N10m Bail Each For 67 Minors
Egbetokun, however, underscored that medical aid was promptly provided, highlighting the police’s commitment to the welfare of individuals in custody.
In a statement dated November 1 and signed by Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, the IGP affirmed that under Nigerian law, individuals who reach the age of criminal responsibility are held accountable for their actions, irrespective of age.
“Today, an unexpected incident in court saw six of the suspects suddenly rush out and faint, drawing media attention in a deliberate and scripted manner to attract negative attention,” Egbetokun said.
“Medical aid was promptly provided to these individuals, demonstrating the Police Force’s commitment to the welfare of those in its custody, irrespective of the allegations they face.”
Recall that the court granted bail for each minor at N10 million, sparking criticism both domestically and internationally.
The arraigned individuals, many of whom appeared malnourished, are facing a series of grave charges including terrorism, arson, treasonable felony, and other allegations related to the destruction of public property and threats to national security.
The IGP emphasized that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) remains committed to balancing justice with compassion, noting that the Force has adhered to legal procedures to ensure fairness.
“The NPF has rigorously adhered to legal provisions to ensure fairness and accountability under the rule of law,” he said.
“Throughout this process, the Police have worked to balance justice with compassion, ensuring that each suspect’s basic rights and privileges are respected, including access to medical care and other necessary provisions.”
In his statement, Egbetokun urged the public to avoid bias and pledged transparency throughout the legal proceedings.
“The NPF acknowledges public interest in this case and assures the public that our officers will maintain professionalism throughout the legal process.
“The public is encouraged to view this case without undue bias, as the Force remains focused on a transparent pursuit of justice.”
The police chief added that the Force is committed to aligning with international standards in justice, drawing comparisons to legal practices in countries like the United Kingdom, where young individuals facing serious charges are held accountable, though with empathy and respect for human rights.
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