Super Eagles Supporters Club honours RTEAN president
…As President hails club for promoting unity
By Abba – Eku Onyeka
Members of a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), known as Super Eagles Supporters Club (SESC) of Nigeria have recently confered grand award of patron on the Executive National President, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Alhaji Musa Mohammed (Maitakobi). The President however commended the Club for using the platform to promote unity in Nigeria.
Honoured along with the National boss of RTEAN by SESC members were the Deputy President (Administration), Ambassador Mohammed Bishara and the Secretary General, Alhaji Yusuf Adeniyi.
The event was held at the National Secretariat of RTEAN in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Speaking to this media organisation shortly after the honor was the National Chairman of the SESC, Prince Vincent Okumagbo who was represented by the Niger state Chairman and the Coordinator of the Club in the Northern Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Mohammed.
Asked what they put into consideration before giving the honour to the RTEAN boss and some of his executives, Prince Okumogba responded that they did it to show that they had people of integrity that held the unity of Nigeria and enjoin them to come around to support Super Eagles, morally and financially, to enable SEN to carry on their international activities successfully.
On the request they made from the Association, Prince Okumogba explained that SESC being an NGO, quite different from Nigerian Football Federation (NFF,), a Corporation the SESC works hand in hand, even as he said that the essence of making request for a bus from the RTEAN was to help them move from one place to the other in fulfilment of their obligations to the NFF and Nigeria in general.
Responding to more questions, he said that the honor had nothing to do with their request, repeating that it was given to the RTEAN members for integrity. The National Chairman informed that they had patrons from other parts of the country, whom they confered honor for integrity, adding that they do all these to promote Nigeria’s unity.
Saying that Maitakobi is well known for his impeccable role towards preaching unity and peace in the country hence his selection as the grand patron of the club, he noted that the RTEAN’s contribution and connections would be needed by the SESC ahead of the forthcoming competitions including the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as they are set to cheer Super Eagles to victory. “We will need your support in fulfilling our mandate to ensure that our members cheer the Super Eagles to victory at the 2021 AFCON,” he requested.
Addressing journalists after the acceptance of the honor, the Executive President commended the Club for picking him out of multitude of Nigerians, even as be added that he was only a child to be compared with others.
He further hailed them for using the Club to support the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles Football Club, as well as promoting unity among Nigerians.
Commending the SESC’s giant strive in cheering the National team to victory at international tournaments and assuring them RTEAN’s support in their selfless services, he said: “I want you to commend the SESC for giving me this award and for identifying with RTEAN. We will decide at our executive level and get back to the you so as to continue to cheer our national teams to victory. I identified with the SESC because whenever the Super Eagles are playing, Nigerians will keep away their differences and support the National team and I will be with you to ensure that your aims and objectives are achieved. If time permits me I will join you in cheering the Super Eagles to victory come 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.”
Giving out formation about the RTEAN was the Deputy National Preisident. He said: “RTEAN came into existence in 1933 as Motor Transport Union and later became Nigerian Motor Transport Owners Association. When the Federal Government saw the need to restructure the trade union due to crisis in 1978; after the amalgamation of five transport union in the country, RTEAN was created through Decree 21&22 of 1978 as amended by Decree 1 of 1999, under Senior Staff and Employers, to go into business under strict compliance to the law.
