Jubilation and adulation trailed the berthing of Globacom’s ship of great goodies in Kano last week as the telecom took its My Own Don Beta promo to the commercial city where 130 people got life-transforming prizes. SULAIMON OLANREWAJU reports.
IN continuation of its aim of spreading joy across the country ahead of the New Year on the platform of My Own Don Beta promo, Globacom’s ship of great goodies berthed at the Kantin Kwari market in Kano last week. The event was the fifth in the series, coming behind the ones held in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan.
My Own Don Beta is a promo with a difference because apart from the intention of the network to reward its loyal customers, it is also meant to empower those at the lower end of the societal ladder with revenue-generating means through which they can start their own small scale businesses. By recharging their lines with as little as N200, new and existing customers of Globacom can win tricycles, industrial sewing machines, grinding machines and power generators in the promo. So, the promo is a vehicle through which Globacom identifies with the poverty reduction activities of the Federal Government.
The Kano event was witnessed by dignitaries such as the Zonal Coordinator, Kano Office of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Baba Adamu; Managing Director, Kantin Kwari Market Board, Kano, Ahmadu Muhammed; Nollywood star, Funky Mallam, and Kannywood actress, Fatimah Abdullahi.
In his comment at the event, Ahmadu Muhammed, Managing Director, Kantin Kwari Market Board, Kano, captured the mood of the people when he said: “Glo has brought benefits to Kano people.” His comment was not misplaced because a total of 130 prizes were won by subscribers from Kano and its neighbouring states. This means a new set of entrepreneurs had just been unleashed by Globacom through the promo.
Muhammed added, “I call on Glo to continue to empower Nigerians through people-oriented projects like this type of promo. It’s quite good and it brings good benefits to the people, as it has brought to many of my brothers and friends here in Kano who have benefited from Glo today, winning different prizes. Glo should do more of this. God bless them.”
Toeing the line of Muhammed, Hassan Ahmed, Ward Head of Waje District, said, “I want Glo to continue to empower Nigerians. I am very happy and would like to thank Glo. It’s really a thing of joy. I call on my fellow Nigerian citizens to continue to patronize Glo, it’s our Nigerian network.”
Earlier in his welcome address, Mr. Yakubu Baba, Globacom’s Regional Manager, Primary Sales, Kano, said, “Globacom has not wavered from its original pledge to consistently bring innovative and seamless service delivery as well as unparallel benefits to our subscribers.”
He added that the promo was initiated essentially to empower Nigerians to embrace entrepreneurship. He also noted that the prize-presentation exercises were being held across key cities in the six geo-political zones in the country as My Own Don Beta continued to empower Nigerians with different prizes.
According to him, Globacom had kept its promise by delivering the prizes won by lucky subscribers to them in the presence of Nigerians, the media and representatives of regulatory bodies such as National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Apart from giving out prizes to lucky winners, the Kano event also witnessed the sixth draw which produced another set of winners who would receive their prizes during the next presentation exercise in the south eastern city of Onitsha this week. A total of 80 prizes made up of 32 generators, 24 grinding machines, 16 sewing machines and 8 tricycles would be presented during the event.
Winners at the event could not hold back their joy as they were presented their prizes.
For Nazeer Hassan, an aircraft engineer, the sewing machine won by him couldn’t have come at a better time.
He said, “It’s a big surprise. Glo takes care of Nigerians all the time. I was planning to buy a sewing machine for my wife and last week I got a call from Glo informing me that I won a prize in the company’s promo. They said I should go to Glo office for verification. It was when I got there that I was informed that I won a sewing machine. In fact, I’ve not informed my wife, she will be very surprised when I take the prize to the house and she sees Glo logo on it. I have been using Glo for a long time and I have just won a prize for the very first time. Glo is doing a good job and they take care of Nigerians all the time.”
Abubakar Garba Digi, who won a tricycle, could not stop showering praises on Globacom.
He said, “I am very proud of Glo. It has done very well for Nigerians. I live in Kebbi. I am a journalist with NTA Kebbi. This prize means a lot to me. Winning keke has added flavour to my life. I am very proud of Glo. The company has done well for me and my family. Glo is our indigenous network and they have done very well for Nigerians. President Buhari has called on Nigerians to patronize Nigerian products and companies. Glo represents Nigeria and the company’s logo, just like Nigeria’s colour, is Green White Green. So Nigerians should always patronize Glo.”
For Ibrahim Idris, a lawyer, the industrial sewing machine which he won provided him an opportunity to be a blessing to his brother.
He said, “I got to know that I won the sewing machine when the Glo customer care lady called to inform me that I am one of the winners of industrial sewing machines in Glo promo. I was invited to Glo office for verification. I am very happy and totally surprised. I thank Glo for this prize. God bless Globacom abundantly. One of my brothers is a tailor; I will give the machine to him to help improve his business.”
Just like Ibrahim Idris, Okeke Kelechi Christian, a youth corps member who won a grinding machine, also intends to bless others with her prize.
She said, “Actually, I would say that I am over excited. I won a grinding machine. I will give the machine to the community where I am serving, that way it will benefit them and add value to their lives.”
Winning a generator has brought ease to Kate David’s life.
Her words, “I will use the generator I won both in my shop and at home. I am a business woman. I sell provision at Airport Road by Total in Kano. It will help me greatly. I have been on Glo network since 2003. I love the Glo network, especially their promos where many Nigerians have been winning and I am now one of them. When I heard the news, I called my friends and relatives to inform them but they did not believe it. But now that I have collected my prize, they will see it live.”
By winning a grinding machine, Aje Angela now has two streams of income.
According to her, “I am a fashion designer. I finished my youth service in Kano two months ago. I won a grinding machine. Winning the machine shows that my recharges on Glo network were not in vain. The prize will serve as another source of income for me, apart from my fashion business. I will give the machine to someone to operate on my behalf. To Glo, I say thank you for all you do and for taking care of Nigerians.”
As it is for Aje Angela, so it is for Saidu Isa, who also won a grinding machine.
Isa said, “I live in Kano and I won a grinding machine. Thanks to God and Glo. The machine will be an additional source of income for me and my family. I thank Glo once again. My family will be very excited when I take the prize to my house. Nigerians should always use Glo, they take care of the people.”
Now that he has won a generator, Isa Muhammed’s business is ready for the next level.
Muhammed said, “I feel very happy to win a prize in the Glo promo. This is the first time I have won a prize in any promo. I travelled from Kogi, where I was, back to my base in Kano to collect this prize. I was told that I won a generator by a Glo customer care lady and I am very happy about it. The generator will help me in my aluminum business. May God continue to bless Glo. Nigerians should continue to use Glo so that their own life can become beta too.”
Another winner, Eze Solomon Ekene, had this to say, “I am from Enugu State and I live in Sabon Gari area of Kano. I won a generator in My Own Don Beta promo of Glo. I would keep the generator for my family use. We need it badly. I have been a Glo subscriber for over 10 years. I got a call last week from Glo that I won the generator. I was very happy and I thank them for it.”
For Isa Mohammed Salam, a youth corps member who was facing the future with trepidation, winning a generator has brought clarity to what to do after the mandatory one year service.
He said, “The prize came at the right time. I will start a business soon and I will need a generator badly. Glo has solved that problem for me now. Also in our corps members’ lodge, we don’t have light. This generator will help us for some time.”
For Murtala Sani, a Quranic school teacher in Gusau, Zamfara State, who won a generator, the prize was the answer to a long-time prayer.
Going by the submissions of the prize winners, it is obvious that Globacom’s raison d’être is putting smiles on the faces of its customers by delivering top of the range services as well as bending backwards to meet even their unstated needs. This is why the growth of the nation’s premier telecommunication company has been unflagging right from the outset because once a customer has a taste of Globacom, he can never stop asking for more.
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