Fanz Championship Africa: Team Juliet Ibrahim bows to team Reminisce

After 13 weeks of rigorous competition and a final showdown heralded by viral memes brimming with braggadocio, Team Reminisce thrashed Team Juliet Ibrahim to win the third edition of the Fanz Championship Africa themed the Super Me Edition. The coveted victory came with a cash prize of N2million for the team, N1million cash for the coach, a phototherapy machine and incubator to be donated to a community of the team’s choice as part of the philanthropic initiative of the organisers, Abelinis Limited.

Hosted by comedian and On-Air-Personality, Ushbebe, the finale was the culmination of 13 exciting and exhilarating weeks of fun, not just for the different participants and celebrity coaches, but for millions of television viewers who won over N3million in prizes for their participation while the show lasted.

For the indigenous lyricist, his team’s victory underscored his deep love for the game of football.

“If I were not a rapper, I would have been a footballer,” he said.

On her part, popular Ghanaian actress Ms Ibrahim reckoned that coming that far in the competition during which her team edged out several male-coached teams, was an indication that she was no pushover when it comes to football.

Speaking after the show, which aired on the urban entertainment channel, HipTV, Abiodun Oshinibosi, Project Marshal of Abelinis Limited, averred that the resounding success of this year’s show underscored his team’s robust resilience and determination to ensure that the Fanz Championship Africa, a quiz format game show for football followers and lovers on television, remains as engaging and interactive as ever.

“For the past three years, we have consistently engaged football lovers and followers by offering a platform where their knowledge of the game is richly rewarded while providing entertainment and rewards to viewers. We are treading on the background that football is a strong unifying factor globally which also enjoys wide acceptance and patronage.”

Oshinibosi further stated that, “the Fanz Championship is a unique and fresh platform that brands can leverage on and it is a sustainable engagement drive to connect football fans in positively memorable ways while empowering them. Though it has not been totally smooth sailing, considering the lack of sponsorship, our resolve to create a television show that would be the pride of Africa is on course.”

Despite the stifling operational challenges, the rating of this year’s show, according to Deji Orunkoyi, the Project General, shot through the roof as more viewers logged onto the show and saw more enthusiastic celebrity participation. This recently concluded edition had celebrity coaches such as Sexy Steel, Bash the Comedian, Sossick, Toyin Ibitoye, Alexx Ekubo, Biola Kazeem, 9ice, Juliet Ibrahim, Reminisce, Helen Paul, Illbliss, Shina Okeleyi, DJ Neptune, Deji Omotoyinbo, Juliet Mafua and Jide Alabi. Essentially, the coaches lead a three-member team through an intense yet, exciting process trading tackles on wit, speed and knowledge of the football industry as a whole, while a team is eliminated every week.

Established in 2011 as a project management company with interests in events, activation and production has grown into a foremost player in experiential marketing, working with, among other multinationals, the British American Tobacco, MTN, Haier Thermocool and Procter and Gamble.