Over 3000 athletes are set to compete in the second leg of MTN CHAMPS Season 2 from Friday, April 5 to Monday, April 8, across two locations simultaneously: the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, and the University of Ibadan Sports Complex, both in Oyo State, with over 150 secondary schools set to vie for honours over four days.
At the press conference to herald the kick off of the event in the ancient city of Ibadan, Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, lauded the decision for MTN CHAMPS to make a return to the ancient city, having hosted the third leg of the competition in Season 1.
Also, speaking, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Wasilat Adegoke, commended the organisers for partnering with her ministry and other key stakeholders in ensuring that MTN leaves a befitting legacy through CHAMPS which she described as an intervention programme for the youth of Oyo State.
Representing NSSF President Olabisi Joseph, Jacob Olutayo said: “The NSSF is in charge of school sports, and not only that; we participated in Season 1 of MTN CHAMPS, and we’re here for Season 2. The NSSF appreciates the efforts of MTN in sponsoring this grand programme, and we pray for the sustainability of the competition. While appreciating all other stakeholders, we promise to continue to foster the relationship between the NSSF and MTN CHAMPS, as well as other stakeholders involved in this initiative.”
General Manager, Segment and Devices, MTN, Idowu Adesokan highlighted the importance of MTN providing a platform for young talents to be discovered, which would in turn go a long way in reviving athletics in the country.
Making of Champion (MoC) Founder Bambo Akani acknowledged the vast potential Nigeria has to dominate Track and Field globally and appreciated MTN for keying into the vision to raise future champions for Nigeria, whilst also commending the leadership of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the NSSF for their support in ensuring a successful staging of MTN CHAMPS. “It has been an 11-year-old journey, and we are very grateful for MTN’s support for this initiative. Last year, we had about 2000 athletes register for MTN CHAMPS Ibadan and this time around, we’ve had about 2600 registrants. Ibadan is the location that every other location needs to live up to, and this is a testament to Oyo State’s investment in sports, especially by providing two great facilities for us to use”, Akani said.