- As senators, Nollywood actors, musicians, comedians endorse lottery
By Gabriel Dike
The nation’s first mobile lottery, pioneered by Western Lotto Nigeria Ltd was introduced into the gaming market recently in grand style with the highest stake of N15million for grabs by Nigerians to win and become millionaires every week.
At the epoch making introduction of Western Lotto in Lagos on Monday, July 10, the lottery was launched in a colourful ceremony and witnessed by movers and shakers of the entertainment industry who agreed that the initiative was an opportunity for Nigerians to become millionaires.
Among dignitaries that graced the occasion include, Senators Ben Bruce, Magnus Abe, Fatimo Raji and Buruji Kashamu, three House of Representative members, top government functionaries, Nollywood actors such as Olu Jacobs, Osita Iheme and Chinedu Ikedieze of Aki and Pawpaw fame, Paul Obazele, Zack Orji, Ramsey Nouah, Alex Usifo, Chief Jide Kosoko, Sola Kosoko, musicians were Tu Baba (Innocent Idibia), Olamide (Badoo) and a comedian, AY (Ayo Makun).
The senators, nollywood actors, musicians, comedian, government officials and lottery stakeholders endorsed the Western Lotto and urged Nigerians to patronize the lottery and win big.
The promoters of the new mobile lottery said the highest stake (money) available to win is N15million and one can also use N50 or N100 to play in the four games namely, Powerball, Euromillions, Eurojackpot, UK lotto and Mega million.
In his address at the launch, chairman of Western Lotto Nigeria Ltd, Prince Jibola Oloyede said the initiative is a new thinking that has come to challenge Nigerians to think and make millions by playing the games.
Oloyede observed that the lotto is not about gambling but to promote the entertainment industry stressing ‘’Nigerians needs to think the right way and do the right things to make money. We have come to change the face of the lottery industry’’.
In his address titled: ‘’Offering hope and altering the landscape of gaming and recreation in Nigeria’’, the Managing Director of Western Lotto, Mr. Elvis Krivokuca, said the platform is about entertainment and gaming company that provide a bouquet of international games for players in the country and was licensed by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to operator terrestrial and online platform for gaming activities.
An elated Krivokuca who was full of smiles disclosed that Western Lotto would create opportunities in employment, wealth and empowerment for people in Nigeria and across Africa stating patrons will derive fun from the games, while there would be job creation on our extended value-chain of distributors, agents, business centres, portals and several suppliers.
He described lottery as a game chance for entertainment and recreation that carries less risk stating that participants spend small money like N50 or N100 to win huge prizes pointing out ‘’we offer hope, one of the major propellers of life for human beings everywhere’’.
Krivokuca said the UK lottery made a significant contribution of $2.2billion to the hosting by that country of London Olympics in 2012 and in South Africa, 82 per cent of the population play the lottery once in a week while the experts put the lottery share funds to the country’s finance at about N141.3billion.
‘’Propelled by these laudable initiatives and the need to contribute its quota to national development, some young and dynamic Nigerians established Western Lotto in 2015 to carry out the business of lotteries, promos and casinos in Nigeria. We are committed to promoting global best practices in our operations as we positively impact lives through good causes’’, he noted.
Senator Ben Bruce who graced the occasion, urged Nigerians to play the Western Lotto as doing so would help fund several social projects and also change a lot of things in the country.
The lawmaker representing Bayelsa East disclosed that his foundation is one of many that would benefit from Western Lotto corporate social responsibility gesture to help rape victims and other abuse on women and girls.
One of the directors of Western Lotto, Mr. Abiodun Akintaju said the lottery offers every Nigerian the opportunity to win and that even if they don’t win, their money would be used to fund social projects in health, education and sports.
The foreign technical partner, Mr. Roy Lawson, who on the bid of Senator Ben Bruce demonstrated how to play the game, said lottery world over is growing by 30 per cent but in Nigeria, the growth rate is 900 per cent adding that it is amazing that this is the first major lottery in Nigeria.
Mr. Lawson explained that Western Lotto has the financial backing of it parent company in UK which is listed in the stock exchange market and promised that every winner would get paid adding our Jackpot is N15million. If nobody win’s, it will be roll back to another week and the money will be doubled. We guarantee that winners will be paid as at when due’’.
One of the Western Lotto brand ambassadors and nollywood actor, Zack Orji, described the initiative as a good thing to happen to the country and encouraged Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity to win huge money.
Pa Olu Jacob, one of the veterans in the entertainment industry, said lotto has made many persons millionaires and recommended Western Lotto to Nigerians to play and win and recalled that while in England, he played lotto.
His words: ‘’Western Lotto will be a first class product in Nigeria, West Africa and even in Africa. I appreciate the promoters for investing in Nigeria game industry. The company assured that they will support other social projects in the country.’’
Nollywood actor, Ramsey Nouah lauded the initiators and that the introduction of the first mobile lottery would change the face of gaming in Nigeria stating ‘’it will distribute wealth among the people’’.
Chief Jide Kosoko, Tu Baba, Olamide and AY said they queued behind the lottery to encourage Nigerians to play the game, win big and assured that the promoters have agreed to support certain social projects in the country while Paul Obazele said they would storm the campuses to promote the game.
‘’Confirm, it is the first mobile game in the country. We saw the credibility of the people behind the lottery. We are putting our weight behind Western Lotto and we have endorsed it. That is why I and my colleagues agreed to be brand ambassadors’’, Paul Obazele explained.