By Tom Osanjo
There will always be light at the end of the dark night. This line which has almost turned into a cliché rings true for us at Gor Mahia with the announcement that we have a new shirt sponsor who will see us through the miasma of financial doldrums we have been wallowing in for the better part of the past two years ever since Sportpesa bolted.
I guess I am speaking on behalf of the legion of the members of the Green Army when I state that the new deal with the gaming firm Betsafe. According to Citizen Digital which exclusively carried the story, the deal will assure us of good funding.
The news site quoted Gor Mahia chairman, Ambrose Rachier as saying: We are very happy to announce this deal. A very welcoming message to all our fans that we have secured long term financial support from a strong and safe partner. With our sponsors, we get an engaged and reliable partner with a focus on responsible gaming. But also, a partner who shares our passion and values about football and the excitement that comes with it.”
I concur with the chairman. It is an open secret that the club has been facing a financial nightmare. I remember reading somewhere that Rachier was forced to write to players’ landlords asking them not to evict the tenants for lack of rent payment.
With this deal, I am firmly convinced that the rumours that have been swirling around that some of our players were set to look for greener pastures elsewhere- with neighbouring Tanzania being mentioned as the next port of call- would soon be laid to rest.
As I have said in my other writings, what we need now is prudent management of the monies the sponsor will be sending to our coffers so as to earn their trust as well as open the doors for an extension of the deal.
Stringent management of the monies will also ensure that our accounts are always in the black for day to day operations. What I am trying to say in a nutshell is that it is upon chairman Rachier to ensure that those with itchy fingers are kept as far away from the till as the North Pole is to the South Pole.
What I am assuring our new partners is that in Gor Mahia, they will get a fan base as passionate as any they can ever hope for in the world and that they will be glad they came calling.