FA, Bralirwa: Yes guys, you can make history

With news filtering through that the national football federation, Ferwafa and local Brewery, Bralirwa are on the verge of signing a deal for the later to sponsor the remaining part of the national league, all we can do is pray that something comes off and hope that at the end of the day, both parties achieve their goals. For quite some time now, talks between the two parties have been on going and all that the parties involved have done is keep the details a top secret from the media. All the media has been left to do, is to feed on speculations and at times on unconfirmed info from the usual reliable sources but who prefer not only not to be quoted but also use what they regard as highly guided information. From a journalistic point of view, it would be in the best interest of the general public to have details available regarding how far the negotiations have reached, but for business purposes and the nit gritty of the contractual confidentiality, such deals work well when done out of the public nose. Since the negotiations between Ferwafa’s representatives and their marketing guys of Bralirwa started about three or four months ago, it’s only in the last three weeks that we’ve been able to extract some information, scanty though, from sources familiar with the talks. And from the grapevine, the deal, if it comes off well, will be the biggest Rwandan football has ever had in terms of sponsorship. Although no figures are being mentioned, but speculations give a picture that makes the whole thing so fascinating for Rwandans to look forward to with high expectations. By the look of things, at least if word on the grapevine is anything go by, then before the end of this coming week, a deal will have been done and dusted. When someone talks of a three-digit figure of Rwandan Francs (in millions) for the remaining three months of the league season, then you know that’s business. And what does that mean, especially to the parties involved visa vie what they all represent, which is the people of Rwanda and the game they love or pretend to love so much? For so long, the national league has been running on the good will of the football federation on top of the club’s own survival instincts but for how long can this trend go on, or how effective is it in running a competitive league professionally, something that we will need to do at one stage if we’re going to have a better national team? But fingers crossed and this deal is done like it’s promising to, lets hope that those who will be in charge of overseeing how this money is used, which obviously is Ferwafa should put it where it’s intended rather than ……or else we shall go back to square 1. Surely we can avoid that, but anything to do with money, you can’t predict much! Nonetheless, this is a great opportunity for the current Ferwafa leadership led by Brigadier General Jean Bosco Kazura and the country’s sole Brewery, Bralirwa to go on record as having played the lead role in changing the face of Rwandan football for ever. nku78@yahoo.com