Nigerian Billionaire Chairman and CEO of Globacom Limited, Chief Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr. has been honoured by UK-based Manchester United Football Club for his comprehensive financial contributions to the development of sports globally, and soccer in particular. Reports from Nigerian said Chief Adenuga was also honoured for the growing relationship Glo had maintained with Manchester United. The honour was in the form a specially autographed Number 10 Manchester United Jersey, and a framed boot autographed by one Man U player. They were presented by Man U Director of Relationships and Communications, Ricky Thussu at a special luncheon held in honour of Dr. Adenuga at the plush Eko Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria. Ricky Thussu was quoted as saying Dr. Adenugu, who is fondly referred to as “The Guru” in Nigerian, was a sports patron “worthy of emulation.” Reports say the telecom and energy tycoon, Dr. Adenuga was not present to receive the award, but one of his able Executive Directors, Adewale Sangowawa accepted it on his behalf and assured Man U and the whole of Africa of continuous support for African soccer. In 2009, Adenuga, an avowed soccer fan, cemented a strategic partnership between Globacom and Manchester United, making Globacom the official telecoms partner of Man U in Africa. As part of that deal, Globacom sponsors young, talented and upcoming African footballers to the prestigious Manchester United Soccer Schools to develop their skills. Sangowawa said “one of the reasons why Globacom is partnering with a world class football club like Manchester United is to leverage on the club’s achievements and successes to develop the game of football in Nigeria and Africa.” He said arrangements were afoot to widen the scope of that aspect of the relationship, and hinted that within the next couple of weeks, Globacom would announce some initiatives in football that would make Africans proud. With Adenuga’s financial backing, Globacom has emerged as one of the largest supporters of African soccer. The West African telecoms giant sponsors the Glo CAF Awards and the Nigerian and Ghanaian national teams, among others. The telecoms company has paid more than $40 million in support to the Nigerian soccer teams over the last ten years. Glo Ghana has also signed a US$3 million five-year deal with the Ghana Football Association as main sponsors of Ghana’s Premier League; and Glo is also the headline sponsor of Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, to the tune of another US$1.5million. Globacom currently boasts over 20 million subscribers with operations in Nigeria and Benin Republic. Glo is yet to launch commercial services in Ghana, but has already invested some US$750 million in developing a world class mobile network in Ghana, even though it does not have a single customer in Ghana yet and is yet to make a pesewa from the country.