There is no doubt that the outbreak of novel Coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19 pandemic, has been affecting socio-economic and political life of people around the world. Governments, private organizations and individuals are hit by the multiplier effects of this dreaded disease since last year. To make things worse, lockdown and restrictions were ordered by governments across the world to curtail the spread of this pandemic.
While many businesses were and are being affected negatively, those who can think outside the box are able to stand tall today. One of such people is Nigeria’s foremost social media influencer, Public Relations Strategist and Football Analyst, Nabila Fash
It was in 2020 when the lockdown of COVID-19 kept Nigerians at home in the commercial nerve city, Lagos and Abuja as ordered by the Federal Government. The rise in the cases of the disease sent jittery into the spines of everybody, and the need to thread on the path of caution became necessary, nothing should come in between survival and life.
Nabila Fash, the wife of Nigeria’s Musical Taliban, Oritse Femi, who was still working with a Lagos-based company and had been nursing the dream of going fully into sports business especially football branding, but for work schedules, she could not and more importantly, the fear of unknown kept pulling her back.
The lockdown period was when the time the inspiration to face the fear and conquered it came in.
“I was doing skeletal business of sports on what I could describe as on part-time basis because I did not have that time. It’s been over a decade that I have been on this. Then I was abroad doing somebody’s Personal Assistant, like let me help you build your website, let me talk to this brand for you or let me see what we can do together. I was doing things in piece, not until few years ago that I started this branding thing, but I was in full employment. The business was just like side hustle for me, I could not really concentrate my attention.
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But last year, I decided that this is my passion and this is what I loved to do. Of course, I have registered my company over ten years, I did not have a physical office. However, during the COVID-19 lockdown, for me I used to tell people around that Coronavirus incident has been a blessing for me. When we stopped going to the office and I stayed at home, it was then that my eyes got open to a lot of things around this sports business and what I could do for myself. It was then I thought of looking for an office space no matter how small the place will be to start this football business fully
“We actually did a lot of work with Odion Ighalo last year with Globacom television commercials, Dettol and some other major deals. Surprisingly, I looked at it that I could package these deals sitting at home. It was wonderful,” Nabila Fash narrated during an exclusive interview at her office in Lekki on Lagos Island.
The list has been increasing by the day. This includes former Nigeria captain, Joseph Yobo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Only this month of June, she brokered a deal worth millions of dollars for three Nigerian international as Brand Ambassador for Dstv owned by MultiChoice. These players are Victor Osihmen, Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Promise Iheanacho.
She brought Dettol on the table for the Nigerian football in a well packaged deal that saw the health giant as ‘Official Hygiene Partner of the Super Eagles’. Dettol will ensure the protection and well-being of the Super Eagles to enable some of the country’s finest football players to put their best foot forward ahead of the Eagles’ preparations for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the Qatar World Cup tournament in 2022. Dettol will also work closely with NFF to provide hygiene support for the audience and football fans of Nigeria.
The Osun State-born Chief Host of popular football features show on DStv “Footie Moments with Nabila” poured encomiums on her husband who gave her support to face the reality of being on her own in this football branding business.
She said it was her husband Oritse Femi who gave here the courage to match dream and thinking with action. It was him who said that in life it is either I should go into this to succeed or fail, depending on how serious she would be, the result would come.
“This further inspired me and he has been standing by me with his support that I would not fail. He understands the terrain of the business and I must confess he has been supportive to the cause.”\
Watch out for full exclusive interview with Nabila Fash on Newsbreak
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