MTN has announced the commencement of the season 2 MTN Champs Nigeria’s premier Schools’ Athletics Championships from Friday to Monday, April 8, with 2,600 athletes.
The General Manager, Segment and Devices, MTN, Mr Idowu Adesokan, said this at a news conference on Thursday in Ibadan.
Adesokan said the championship was introduced to unearth and foster athletic talent across the country.
According to him, the event will take place at Lekan Salami Sport Complex Ibadan.
He described the initiative as the primary platform for identifying and nurturing promising athletes.
“This athletes could go on to represent Nigeria in prestigious international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.
“With a focus on discovering and developing athletic potential, MTN Champs have the potential to transform the sporting landscape in Nigeria.
“Through this programme, talented individuals from all corners of the country will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and receive the training and support the need to reach their full potential as world-class athletes,”he said.
In his remarks, the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, said the ministry plays pivotal roles in catching talented athletes at early period.
“As supervising ministry for primary and junior schools where talents could be discovered,” he said.
Adelabu commended the selection of the state for the second time adding that the MTN Champs was apt as the state has large number of untapped talent.
He, however, assured that the state Gov. Seyi Makinde-led administration would support MTN to achieve goals of the championship.
The State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Miss Wasilat Adegoke, lauded the commitment of MTN in partnership with the Making of Champions (MOC) for sponsoring an initiative that would lead to socio-economic emancipation of Oyo state youths.
Adegoke said the championship would open up opportunities to children, who naturally might have the access or capacity to be trained and discovered.
“We, therefore, wish to call on more organisations in the state and Nigeria to leverage on the ease of doing business made available by government and partner with us through their Corporate Social Responsibility, so as to complement government’s efforts,” she said.
The Founder, Making of Champions, Mr Bambo Akanni, the MTN Champs Sports Media Management Company, said the championship seeks to nurture competitive spirit of young athletes across four distinct age categories.
Akanni noted that the track and field competition with Cadet category (U14) , Youth (U17), Junior (U20), and the newly introduced senior with no age limit would lead to discovery of outstanding athletes from schools across Nigeria.(NAN)