Kwesé Sports TV on Wednesday gave popular hip-hop artist Olamide Adedeji, popularly called “Olamide Baddoo’’, and five members of his crew all-expenses paid free tickets to Russia 2018 World Cup.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the free-to-air Pay TV organisation announced the gesture at the news conference to kick start the 4th Olamide Live in Concert “OLIC4’’ 2018.
Olamide Baddo, became a household name for his records which were mostly recorded in his mother tongue “Yoruba’’.
He busted into the entertainment scene in 2011 with his debut album “Rapsodi’’ which was mainly tunes in Yoruba language and thereafter signed for a record label YBNL.
In November 2013, Olamide released one of the most sold out album named “Baddest Guy Ever Liveth’’ and followed it by “Durosoke’’ and “Yemi’’ my Lover’’.
Olamide, however, became the first Nigerian to sign an endorsement deal with a private company Ciroc.
The OLIC4 concert will take place on Dec. 17 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere in Lagos. It is expected to start by 12 p.m. and end by 6p.m., where about 25,000 people are expected to be in attendance.
The three previous editions were held at the Eko Hotels and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos and had attracted large audience which the organisers described as organic.
Speaking to NAN on the gesture to Olamide, the General Manager, Kwesé Free-to-Air TV, Chichi Nwoko, said it was to serve as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from the organisation.
“There are two main reasons we are partnering with Olamide, first of all, we love to give back our core market as the CSR.
“We also want to find ways to impact our viewers that engage with us.
“So with Olamide coming to Teslim Balogun Stadium, we know that’s our core target market to reach out the young ones.
“We have also created a platform where they can watch the World Cup for free and this is a huge development when it comes to sports.
“We believe in Olamide and his success, we want to give him five tickets to bring some of his fans who ordinarily wouldn’t have been able to afford the trip,’’ she said.
Okeke said that the Pay TV was looking for an opportunity to also support grassroots development of sports through its various past and future programmes.
“A lot of people are only engaged to football only because that was what they are exposed to but we have created a platform whereby many will be exposed to other sports.
“A platform where they can watch Olympics for free and be interested in other sports as well. On the platform they can watch the National Football League, NBA, Formula One, Boxing and the rest.
“This is a huge gambit when it comes to sports, especially in Nigeria when people can access sports channels for free.
“This is also a way of promoting grassroots sports development where many can choose from the sports they are watching across Nigeria,’’ she said.
NAN reports that Kwesé Sports secured exclusive Free-to-Air (FTA) rights to the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017.
According to the agreement, Kwesé is the only platform on the continent licensed to broadcast live actions of these events free.