From Andy Esiet Calabar
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reasserted its commitment in promoting sports development in Nigeria as the Security and Exchange Commission Football Club (SEC FC) has won the 34th Edition of the All Financial Institutions Football Competition CUP donated by the CBN in collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) .
Speaking at the final of the competition held at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar at weekend which was graced by ex- Super Eagles international , Mr. Friday Ekpo, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said that CBN “remains committed to contributing to the promotion and development of football in the country, in addition to its contributions in golf and tennis” .
Emefiele who was represented at the event by CBN’s Deputy Director ,Corporate Communications, Mr. Samuel Okogbue,
lauded all the teams that participated in the competition, stressing that the tournament was one of the bank’s foremost and oldest Corporate Social Responsibility functions.
He congratulated the winners of the competition, and assured that the Bank would sustain its sponsorship of the event, and urged financial institutions in the country to continue to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship.
Ekpo who was the Special Guest of Honour commended the CBN for sponsoring the compensation and other sports in Nigeria and charged them to do more to ensure the full development of sports in the country.
He stressed the importance of such sponsorship to the development of sports in the country, noting that the government or a single corporate entity can not do it all as he urged other corporate bodies to emulate the CBN in supporting sports.
SEC FC won the final match and took home the golden trophy as it defeated the CBN football club the defending champions by 4 goals to 2 in a penalty shoot out after a barren draw in the 90 minutes encounter.
The two teams played exhaustively in the first and second half without either of the teams conceding any goal before the match officials decided to it end in a penalty shoot out.
The penalty kicks turned out to be a blessing in favour of SEC FC as it won the star prize of N2m to and a trophy.
Earlier in a third place match played same day and venue, Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS FC) of Abuja also had an encounter with Babayero FC of Gombe where FIRS defeated Babayero FC of Gombe with a 2 – 0.
The two goals against the losing team (Babayero FC of Gombe), were scored by FIRS FC striker Ikeagwu ThankGod, at about 78 and 92 minutes towards the end of the game, leading to the team winning the third place match match.
The striker ThankGod, scored a total of six goals in the entire football competition and emerged the overall highest goal scorer in the 34th All Financial Institutions Football Competition.
