The city of Uyo is set to come alive from Tuesday, May 6, as the MTN CHAMPS Grand Final takes place at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Akwa Ibom State.
For four days, 2,187 athletes, including the 40 Most Valuable Performers (MVPs) selected from Benin and Lagos, will compete for top honours.
At a press conference held on Monday, May 5, several dignitaries were present to herald the competition.
Among them were the Commissioner for Sports, Akwa Ibom State, Paul Bassey; Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ubong Essien Umoh; President of the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Mrs. Olabisi Joseph; General Manager of Brand and Communication at MTN, Emamoke Ogoro; and MTN’s Regional Manager for the South South, Callima Inino.
Other notable attendees included Making of Champions’ (MoC) Country Manager, Deji Ogeyingbo; Director of Consumer Solutions at Beacon Power Services, Idara Michael; several senior managers and general managers of MTN; and permanent secretaries and directors from the Akwa Ibom State Ministries of Sports and Education.
In her opening remarks, MTN’s Emamoke Ogoro highlighted the brand’s vision for the initiative, which has become Nigeria’s largest secondary school athletics competition. She expressed gratitude for the journey of developing the future of Nigerian athletics, noting that the MTN CHAMPS dream began in 2023 and has since seen over 15,000 athletes from 900 schools participate.
Speaking on behalf of MoC, Deji Ogeyingbo reiterated the organizers’ dream for the competition to reach all states, ensuring every Nigerian child has the opportunity to participate. He thanked the Uyo community for maintaining the stadium in pristine condition, allowing the athletes to compete in a world-class facility.
Representing the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Paul Bassey expressed the state’s delight in hosting the finale. He emphasized the administration’s commitment to developing a state-of-the-art sports academy to nurture talents and provide educational opportunities.
NSSF President praised MTN and MoC for their transformative impact on students’ lives, highlighting the continuous growth and success of the MTN CHAMPS initiative.
Beacon Power Services also conveyed their support, with Idara Michael emphasizing the alignment of their core values with MoC’s mission to foster growth, development, and community engagement.
The event received 5,807 entries from 2,187 athletes across 136 secondary schools and 93 junior and senior teams, comprising 464 Cadets, 777 Youths, 426 Juniors, and 520 Seniors.