FirstBank, West Africa’s leading bank and a prominent advocate for financial inclusion, has announced its sponsorship of the inaugural Samuel Okwaraji Under-16 Football Championship. This nationwide youth football tournament is organised to honour the legacy of Samuel Okwaraji, Nigeria’s celebrated football icon renowned for his patriotism, discipline, and dedication to national service.

The tournament will involve secondary schools from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), featuring a two-stage competition. The first stage will consist of zonal eliminations across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The top teams from each zone will then advance to the national final scheduled to take place in Abuja, where the 12 best teams will compete. The event will also feature cultural displays, memorial lectures, and talent scouting sessions conducted by national team coaches, creating a platform that combines sporting excellence with social impact.

Commenting on the sponsorship, FirstBank’s Managing Director and CEO, Olusegun Alebiosu, stated: “Football is the strongest unifier of Nigerians. It brings communities together, inspires discipline, and nurtures talents across the country. FirstBank is making a deliberate incursion into grassroots football development with this sponsorship, creating an enabling environment for the next generation of Samuel Okwarajis to discover, refine, and maximise their potential, thereby shaping the future of Nigerian football.”

Senator Osita Izunaso, Chairman of the Championship Organising Committee, expressed appreciation for FirstBank’s support. He said, “FirstBank’s legacy predates modern Nigerian football. The bank has once again shown that true corporate leadership lies in nation building. We thank FirstBank for their participation in this championship and we hope that other corporates will take a leaf and provide an enabling environment for young ones to thrive in education through sports.”

Through its First@Sports initiative, FirstBank has continually promoted football and sports development across Nigeria. The bank owns the Elephant Boys Football Team, which currently competes in the Nigerian National League. It also owns the popular FirstBank Basketball Club, known as the “Elephant Girls.”

Over the years, the bank has supported various youth and sporting initiatives, including the National Sports Festival, South-West Youth Games, the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship (for 35 years), Lagos Amateur Golf Open Championship (for 65 years), and the Georgian Polo Cup (for 105 years).

The sponsorship of the Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Tournament underscores FirstBank’s commitment to fostering national unity, empowering communities, and promoting youth development through sports.

Kindly like and leave your comments.