Archive for December 2011

Home Archive for December 2011

Father and Son

Ghana and Marseille winger Andre "Dede" Ayew has been named the BBC's African Footballer of the Year for 2011. The 21-year-old took over a third of the votes to follow in the footsteps of his father, Abedi "Pele" Ayew, who won the inaugural BBC award in 1991.

Ayew beat Yaya Toure, Gervinho, Samuel Eto'o

and Seydou Keita to the title.

I'm honoured and surprised to receive this prestigious award, especially considering the great players who have won it in the past

After being named in Ghana's Africa Cup of Nations squad on Thursday, Andre's brother Jordan is in line to become the third of Abedi Pele's sons to play at the tournament

I thank all the people who voted for me - in Ghana, in Africa and in the world. I'm going to work hard to show them they made a good choice

The award was voted for by African football fans who nominated their favourites either by text or email.

They chose from a shortlist which was drawn up by football experts from every country in Africa, who based their choices on players' skill, technical ability, teamwork, consistency and fair play.

After making an impact on the international stage in 2010, when he impressed observers at both the Africa Cup of Nations and Fifa World Cup, 2011 marked a year when Ayew became a key figure at club level.

He finished the 2010-11 campaign as a regular starter for Marseille for the first time in his career, with his goal tally of 11 aiding his cause.

At the start of this season, he struck a hat-trick to help Marseille win the French Super League - and has since contested all but one of his side's 17 league games, scoring six times.

Injury ruled him out of Marseille's opening Champions League group game but the Ghanaian has gone on to miss just one minute of European action since then, as the 1993 champions reached the knockout stages.

At international level, Ayew also played a key role in ensuring that the Black Stars qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations with an unbeaten record.

Abedi "Pele" Ayew was the first winner of the BBC African Sports Star of the Year award for his achievements in 1991, with the title later turning into the current BBC African Footballer of the Year award.

"Dede" becomes the fifth Ghanaian to win after his father, Sammy Kuffour (2001), Michael Essien (2006) and last year's winner Asamoah Gyan.

Previous winners of BBC African Footballer of the Year award:

2010 - Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland & Ghana)

2009 - Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast)

2008 - Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)

2007 - Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal & Togo)

2006 - Michael Essien (Chelsea & Ghana)

2005 - Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly & Egypt)

2004 - Jay Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)

2003 - Jay Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)

2002 - El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool & Senegal)

2001 - Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich & Ghana)

2000 - Patrick Mboma (Parma & Cameroon)

Article from BBC Sports

Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer based in Arteixo, Galicia, and founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalia Mera. It is the flagship chain store of the fashion group called Inditex. Zara produces clothes for men, women and children. ZARA needs just two weeks to develop a new product and get it to stores, compared to the six-month industry average, and launches around 10,000 new designs each year. Zara has resisted the industry-wide trend towards transferring fast fashion production to low-cost countries. Perhaps its most unusual strategy was its policy of zero advertising; the company preferred to invest a percentage of revenues in opening new stores instead. This has increased the idea of Zara as a "fashion imitator" company and low cost products.

Zara was described by Louis Vuitton fashion director, Daniel Piette as the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world. Zara has also been described as a "Spanish success story" by CNN.

The founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega, opened the first Zara store in 1975 in a central street in downtown A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. Its first store featured low-priced lookalike products of popular, higher-end clothing fashions. The store proved to be a success, and Ortega began opening more Zara stores throughout Spain. During the 1980s, Ortega started changing the design, manufacturing, and distribution process to reduce lead times and react to new trends in a quicker way, in what he called "instant fashions". The company based its improvements in the use of information technologies and using groups of designers instead of individuals.

In 1980, the company started its international expansion through Porto, Portugal. In 1989 it entered the United States and in 1990 France, Mexico (1992), Greece (1994), Belgium and Sweden (1994), etc. until reaching its current presence in over 73 countries. Zara stores are company-owned but where local legislation forbids foreigner-owned businesses Zara franchises the stores.

ZARA finally comes to Nigeria and will be opening officially at the ZHOP Stores, Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos on Sunday, the 18th of December, 2011. You cannot afford to miss the official opening as it will be a day to remember. My name is Layo, show me some love by visiting the store and allowing me to attend to you. HIGH CLASS CUSTOMER SERVICE GUARANTEED, SEE YOU THERE.

The Zhop store is the exclusive retailer for Zara products in Africa.

Be sure to get there early to grab the best pieces – Buy 2, get 1 FREE. Wow! you say? See you there!

Date: Sunday 18th – Friday 30th December 2011

Time: Monday- Saturday 10 AM – 6 PM | Sunday 11 AM – 6 PM
Venue: The Silverbird Galleria, 2nd Floor, Next to the Base Lounge, 133 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos
Contact: For more info and general enquires Call 07028989746 | 08191163382