Come December 3, 2023, some Nigerian youths will not only be smiling to the bank but be nurtured to stardom after the grand finale of the MTN backed-schools’ athletics championships, MTN CHAMPS, that would climax at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
This revelation was made known at a press conference held at the Sandralia Hotel, Jabi on Wednesday in Abuja.
There is no doubt that MTN, the leading telecommunication company has been very outstanding when it comes to its Corporate Social Responsibility and the MTN Champs is just one of the ways they contribute to the development of youths in Nigeria.
Supporting this argument is the chief marketing officer, MTN, Adia Showo who disclosed that MTN is excited in sponsoring the program aimed at unearthing and fostering athletics’ talents development across the country.
Her words, “MTN is committed to Nigeria’s young people and what we are trying to do is to power the dreams of these young people and provide them with the platform and technology that they need to take on the world.”
She concluded, “This is an exciting partnership for MTN, we got all that we bargained for.”
Also speaking, the Initiator of the ‘Making of Champions’ (MOC), Mr. Bambo Akanni said the MTN CHAMPS is modeled after the Jamaican High school. According to him, it is going to be a game changer for school sports in Nigeria in the nearest future.
He further revealed that the idea came up some years ago, when he went to Jamaica and saw what they are doing there hence he believed that same can be replicated in Nigeria.
As for the championship, Mr. Akanni said, “The athletes have been on the journey for the past two months. 1000 persons were present in Benin, 2000 in Uyo and about 3000 in Ibadan for five days. The quality of athletes is unprecedented. Athletes will be selected for the academy, and nurtured to stardom. It is going to be a game changer in Nigerian sports. In Jamaica, the whole nation came out to watch athletes for five days and I hope everybody will come out and watch the young lads from Friday 1 to Sunday 3, December.”
Also speaking is the secretary general of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Mrs Rita Mosindi, who represented the President, Chief Tonobok Okowa. She said her office has huge respect for both the sponsors, MTN and the founder of Making of Champions, Mr. Akanni while also calling on the telecommunication giants to also sponsor the activities of AFN.
She further said the programme will help to curb age cheat and anti-doping issues. She boasted that before now, their athletes do have various doping issues but this year, they only had one case. “I am happy, that anti-doping was introduced to the championship (MTN Champs). Most coaches introduce drugs to athletes… Our athletes have not been able to stay long because of age cheat. As a Federation, we are proud of the championship and hope MTN extend their sponsorship to the Federation. The school sports have been helping to discover and nurture talents,” she concluded.
Treasurer of the National School Sports in Nigeria, Dr. Funsho Ogba said Nigerian athletes are talented and well endowed. He also said that the AFN especially the president has been very supportive. “We want to believe that this programme will not be in vain. Partnership with School sports is not a mistake because all schools are with us. We want to appreciate the sponsors and organisers. You would agree with me that the difference between two people is opportunity and that is what our students are enjoying now.”
Recalled that from October 12 to 14, the MTN Champs took place in Benin City, Edo State and between October 26 to 28, another one saw athletes in their numbers participating at the Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State centre while the third one took place in Ibadan, Oyo State between November 9 to 11. The fourth and final leg would be holding in Abuja between Friday 1 and Sunday December 3, 2023.
The athletic championship is spread across three age brackets: the cadets (U-14), youth (U-17) and juniors (U-20) with about 7,000 athletes drawn various schools across the country.
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