World famous Computer
Village, Ikeja, Lagos is always a beehive of activities. The momentum, however,
scaled up on Thursday, October, 17 as the biggest tech market in Nigeria hosted
the first draw of the current wave of sales promotions in the country, the
Recharge and Win Big promo otherwise known as My Own Don Beta. It
is acustomer-reward initiative recently launched by national
telecommunications company, Globacom.
Before now, the
Computer Village, the biggest assembly of ICT traders in West Africa which
majorly deals in tech-related equipment and accessories, is rarely used by
corporate organisations as a springboard to spread promotional joy to many
homes across Nigeria as witnessed last Thursday. It was simply a market
place where buyers and sellers mill around the almost choked up streets that
make up the village, moving cartons of computers, telephone handsets alongside their
accessories.
While some move the
goods in trucks; others use their naturally endowed "trucks", their
shoulders, to get the job done or simply hold such in their hands if it is
within tolerable limit.
The noise, the jostle,
the shove and the endless stream of human traffic are the regular features of
the market. As tight as the market was and in order to show the world that this
promo is not only real but transparent, Globacom worked with the market
association and perched its nest at the popular Oremeji Street to host the life
transforming event.
As early as 7.00 am,
the entrance to Oremeji and other adjourning streets became the cynosure of all
eyes as different shapes and sizes of Glo branding materials brightened the
streets in the green and white colours of Nigeria. The ambience could
easily pass as the venue of a national event. As the production team were
mounting the relevant materials to give shade and shape to the venue, questions
were asked by the passersby on what was happening. The promo team members
on ground did not hesitate to warmly provide the relevant answers –
Globacom, the
grandmasters of data, was there to do the draw that produced the first set of
lucky winners of the prizes in the My Own Don Beta promo. It is a promo carefully
designed to empower Nigerians, particularly those in the bottom of the pyramid.
Soon after, the trucks
that brought the items to be won arrived with tricyles popularly known as keke,
generators, industrial sewing machines and grinding mills, all gleefully
displayed to show that Globacom is out to lend support to government efforts at
creating self-employment.
Not long after, the
venue was filled with traders, artisans, visitors, and workers at the ever–busy
computer village who converged at the venue to witness the emergence of the
first set of winners.
Also at the venue were
media men from the print and electronic media and press photographers,
strategically positioned to capture every moment of the event.
How else could one
explain the transparency of a draw which had in attendance the lottery
regulators, Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), represented by Mrs
Joy Okuna, an assistant director at Lagos Zonal office; the Nigerian
Communication Commission, represented by its Lagos Zonal Office, Mr.
Joseph Dimka, and the Lagos State Secretary to Government, Mrs Folashade
Jaji who was represented by Mrs Oyinade Nathan-Marsh?
The list of
dignitaries was endless as the host market was represented by the likes
of Iya Oja and Baba Oja of Computer Village, Mrs Abisola Azeez and Mr.
Adeniyi Olasope as well as the Chairman, Task Force, Ikeja Computer
Village, Mr. Tony Ikani with other members of the computer village market
executives.
Now, come the
celebrities, especially those that had been associated with Globacom over the
years - Mrs Patience Ozokwor (Mama Gee), her TVC rival, Mrs Sola Sobowale, Mr.
Victor Osuagwu and Mr. Samuel Perry, popularly called “Broda Shaggi” amongst
others. The event was compeered by Nollywood icon and member of Lagos
State House of Assembly, Hon. Desmond Elliot who handled the show with the
dexterity of a professional. The Glo team was led by Mr. Victor Kalu,
Regional Manager, (Secondary Market), Lagos.
The Baba Oja of
Computer Village drew the first round of winners for the
generators through the electronically. Emmanuel Dike, a resident of
Okrika, Rivers State was one of the winners in that category. Sounding like a
man woken up from his sleep (he was actually sleeping when the call came
through as he later admitted during a live phone conversation with Desmond
Elliot), it took a while for Dike to realise that he was one of the lucky
winners. He profusely thanked Globacom for the Prize. The draw produced 39
other generator winners.
The draw moved on to
the second category of grinding mills and within a few minutes, the winners,
drawn by Sola Sobowale, started emerging. The first winner was Nike Olayiwola
from Iwaya in Lagos who shouted for joy when she received a call from Desmond
Elliot. She said she looked forward to picking the prize at Ojuelegba in Lagos
on Wednesday. The draw subsequently produced 29 other grinding mill
winners, making 30 in total in the first draw.
Next was the draw for
Industrial Sewing Machines and this was handled by Nollywood star, Patience
Ozokwor who in her characteristic manner brought excitement to the event and
elicited laughter from the crowd. Twenty Nigerians won the machines. One of the
winners was Tochi Uzor from Ijesha, Surulere area of Lagos who spoke excitedly
to Desmond Elliot and was very happy to have won.
Iya Oja, Mrs Abisola
Azeez and representative of the Secretary to Lagos State Government, Mrs
Oyinade Nathan-Marsh also did the draws for the tricycles.
The reaction of some
of the winners in this category elicited a lot of drama and laughter. Of
course, that was expected, especially in the contemporary Nigerian society
where many Nigerians would not believe until they see the prizes
physically. While Michael Stanley from Ikorodu who won a tricycle chooses
to remain calm until the prize is delivered, another tricyle winner, Emeka Obo,
who lives in Iyana Ipaja was initially skeptical until Mama G stepped in to
convince him in Igbo language that the call was actually from Globacom and that
he had indeed won a prize in the promo. It was after the call that Emeka
came alive and requested if he could come over immediately to collect his keke.
He was told the winners would get their prizes at the Ojuelegba prize
presentation on Wednesday.
A total of 100 prizes
comprising 10 Tricycles, 40 generators, 30 grinding mills and 20 industrial
sewing machines were won and winners will receive their prizes in the promo’s
first presentation ceremony scheduled to hold at Ojuelegba, Lagos on Wednesday,
23rd October, 2019.
After Lagos, the
Globacom draws and prize presentations continue across the country with Abuja
being the next port of call before moving to Port Harcourt and six other
locations. For Glo, there is no better time to empower Nigerians than now.
“My Own Don Beta” promo was launched by Globacom on 3rd October,
2019 with the aim of empowering Nigerians, particularly those at the
bottom end of the pyramid, to win trade-establishment prizes that
will enable them to set up business of their own.
Globacom’s Kalu remarked that “this promo will help us to
empower the people and elevate our subscribers to a higher level of economic
sustenance.” He said that it is “like an end-of-year treat for Glo
subscribers and urge both existing and potential subscribers not to miss this
opportunity. There cannot be a better time to be a Glo subscriber than now. If
you don’t have a Glo SIM yet, this is the time to get on board,” he concluded.
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