Stationery Stores launch Supporters’ cooperative

The management and supporters of Stationery Stores FC have finalised plans for the establishment of Nigeria’s first supporters’ co-operative.

The co-operative, which will be open to every Stores supporter, will be owned and managed on a ‘one-member one-vote’ basis and will represent the interests of supporters within the club, fundraising to develop new infrastructure and working towards acquiring a share of ownership of the club.

Football supporters globally have a voice within their clubs through formally organized vehicles and Stores are intent to bringing this level of organization to Nigerian football to empower their loyal fans and improve the fortunes of the club.

As its first project, the co-operative will raise funds to develop training facilities and a Stores academy.

The Flaming Flamingos have a proud tradition as pioneers in the Nigerian game and this project will establish a revolutionary new vehicle that will become a model for the football landscape in Nigeria.

The project supports the League Management Company’s wider efforts to introduce community ownership into Nigerian football and will provide a blueprint for other clubs to follow.

The Chairman of Stores, Adetilewa Adebajo, has committed to providing a seat on the club’s board to the co-operative and to supporting the long-term aims of the supporters to take a share of ownership of the club.

The project is being coordinated by Sandlanders Football – currently working on similar projects in 10 African countries – with support from Nigeria’s Island Sports under a Memorandum of Understanding entered into with the club.

Sandlanders works in partnership with Supporters Direct, an organization funded by the English Premier League and UEFA to represent the interests of supporters in Europe whose work has resulted in over $50 million of new investment into football.

Supporters interested in joining the co-operative are invited to register their interest on the official Stores supporters Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/flamingtrust Corporate partners will also be sought to work with the supporters to restore one of Nigeria’s finest clubs to the top of the game.

Adebajo said: “The Sandlanders affiliation provides us with the right platform and optimal structure to organize our fan base in line with global best practice. The affiliation will also enhance our sponsorship, branding and funding initiatives; enabling us to pioneer a viable and sustainable business model for running football in Nigeria.”