The stage is set for MTN CHAMPS Uyo – the second leg of MTN CHAMPS holding at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, from October 26th to 28th, with nearly 2000 athletes poised to compete across three age categories.
A Press Conference took place on Wednesday, October 25th, to herald the event, with some dignitaries in attendance. They include: Thankgod Otorkpa, General Manager, Regional Operations (South), MTN; Friday Okuwe, Senior Manager, Brand, Media and Sponsorships, MTN; Njide Ken-Odogwu, Manager, Sponsorships; Mr Emmanuel Ebong, Vice President Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF); Taldang Tanimu, representative of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, amongst others.
In his welcome address, Ebong disclosed that Akwa Ibom was ready to showcase the immense talent available in the state.
He said: “I assure you that you’re going to have great fun, excitement and thrilling moments as far as this competition is concerned, coupled with the peaceful nature of the state.”
On his part, Otorkpa highlighted MTN’s interest in getting the youth engaged in productive activities so as to curb their excesses.
He said: “At MTN, our contribution to Nigeria’s sports industry cannot be overemphasised, particularly with respect to CHAMPS. We believe that if you catch them young, you’ll be able to bend their minds on time. This is modelled after what obtains in Jamaica. Athletes are discovered at a very young age and then nurtured, taking them from the local stage to the global stage.”
MoC’s Country Manager Deji Ogeyingbo revealed that five trophies would be won by the top schools across the three age categories – Cadet (U-14), Youth (U-17) and Junior (U-20) – at the MTN CHAMPS Uyo, while the six Most Valuable Performers (MVPs) and four Golden Performers would be sponsored to the Grand Final in Abuja.
