Over 3,000 Athletes for MTN Season 2 Champs in Ibadan
No fewer than 3,000 athletes are expected in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at the season 2 of MTN Champs, Nigeria’s Premier Schools’ Athletics Championship.
The event is an initiative by MTN Nigeria to nurture competitive spirit of young athletes across four distinct age categories namely Cadet (U14), Youth (U17), Junior (U20), and the newly introduced senior (no age limit).
The General Manager, Segment and Devices, MTN, Mr. Idowu Adesokan, while speaking at a press conference in Ibadan, said the initiative was borne out of the need to meet dreams and aspirations of young Nigerians who intend to marry athletics with their education.
According to him, the four-day event which started yesterday, would end on Monday, April 8, noting that MTN is set to invest on young Nigerians so that they can discover their talents and make use of them.
The Founder, Making of Champions, Bambo Akanni, in his remarks, lauded the Oyo State Government for its effort towards uplifting sport activities in the state.
He said with the event, Nigeria has begun to wake up as a sporting nation, adding that it would assist the country to discover its numerous talents being one of the top three athletic nations in Africa.
He described the event as a nation building and life changing exercise for kids, stating that one of the aims of the event was to support Nigeria core values and making future of the country in Olympic brighter.
The state Commissioner for Youth and Sport, Wasilat Adegoke, on her part, commended the commitment of MTN for the social economy and emancipation of youths across Nigeria.
She, however, urged well meaning Nigerians and private organisations to leverage on the ease of doing business in the state created by Governor Seyi Makinde and partner with the state government in the area of sports while thanking Governor Makinde for his love for sports
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu said the state government don’t joke with extra curricular activities, especially sports in schools across the state, noting that sports remain one of the veritable tools that bring development, unity, and love to the society.