Rite Foods’ Bigi brand, the headline sponsor of Abeokuta Marathon, is fully prepared to energize Nigerian athletes in the 10km marathon which will hold in the ancient city on November 13, 2021, as preparations are in full gear.
Supported by the Ogun State Government and themed; “Naija, Race For Homeland,” the competition is organized by Nilayo Sports Management Limited which is exclusively for Nigerians within the country and in diaspora. The purpose is to support Nigerian talents and prepare them for international marathons.
It is certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and the International Athletics Association Federation (IAAF). It will also feature a wheelchair category.
The Truly World-Class Company in the food and beverage industry will refresh the marathoners with its Bigi Table Water at the five water points and two refreshing points of the long distance race. The Marathon is scheduled to start from Oba Alake’s palace and end at the M.K.O Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta.
The water points will be at the starting point, 2.5km, 5km, 7.5km, and the finishing line.
The Brand Manager of Rite Foods, Boluwatife Adedugbe, at a press conference held in Abeokuta on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, stated that the company as the marathon headline sponsor is ready for the big sporting event.
In attendance were the State’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dr. Kehinde Oluwadare, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Mr. Bukola Olopade, the organizers of the tournament, the General Manager of the event, Dr. Yusuf Alli, the Project Manager, Mr. Seyi Johnson, and other stakeholders.
Adedugbe said this year’s edition would be different because it will serve as a platform for promoting Nigerian talents that would make the nation proud at the international level. She stated that since consumers are at the core of the Bigi brand, sponsoring a worthy initiative like the Abeokuta marathon shows Rite Foods care about their wellbeing.
“The Bigi Table water will be available at all water points to rejuvenate our runners, and we support local talents as much as possible. As we market our products, we have to demonstrate the Bigi brands’ closeness to them; hence Bigi is sponsoring the competition,” the Brand Manager stated.
She added that the brand was the refreshing sponsor in 2019 and has taken the step further as the title sponsor for this year’s event.
Eulogizing the market leader, the Ogun State Commissioner for Youths and Sports expressed Governor Dapo Abiodun’s goodwill message of commendation to Rite Foods, applauding its gesture of nurturing skills in athletics.
He said sporting activities for youths are in line with the five cardinal pillars of Governor Abiodun’s administration as part of efforts to make them meaningful citizens.
According to him, the Ogun State government is proud to identify with the sponsors, especially Rite Foods in creating a platform of social value that would not only build talents but also youth engagement.
“The race will not only discover budding talents but will develop them to greatness, as it is another golden opportunity for youths to engrave their names on the world map,” the Commissioner affirmed.
On his part, the organizer, Mr. Bukola Olopade, extolled Rite Foods’ Bigi for promoting a Nigerian cause and urged other organizations to emulate such gesture.
“The forthcoming event is special because Rite Foods is sponsoring it to encourage local runners to be fully involved in a race that will be Nigerian in nature. With this platform, we call on Nigerians abroad who are interested in sports to participate, as winners will go home with dollars,” he enthused.
Olopade posits that the experience will be different from the previous edition, as the look and feel of the route for the race have been beautifully decorated.
The former Commissioner for Youths and Sports in Ogun State said the winning prize for the elite category would be $2,000, while the first runner-up and second runner-up will receive $1,500 and $1,000, respectively.
In the special category, the overall winner will go home with N500,000, while the first runner-up and second runner-up will receive N300,000 and N100,000, respectively.
