GTbank is to increase its investment in youth soccer and education across Nigeria, not only to help Nigeria excel at the World Cup stage, but also to provide an enabling environment for Nigerian youths to be able to excel and compete globally at all levels.
This was announced by Managing Director, Segun Agbaje, as the bank sets to host the epic finals of the GtBank Masters Cup this Friday at Onikan Stadium Lagos, between the famous St Gregory’s College and St Finbars College.
He said: “Putting our youths in a position to win and excel does not start on the playing field. It begins in the mind, then the classroom before the final stage of the playing field. In the new global competitive landscape, winning requires discipline, focus, creativity and a sound mind. Education must be an integral part of the whole developmental process.
“That is why, GTBank is committing a greater amount of time, resources and high level personnel to youth soccer as well as education, especially at the youth and secondary school level.”
The Masters’ Cup is a GTBank pioneered and sponsored football competition for first generation and missionary secondary schools in Lagos state, to promote camaraderie and foster friendliness amongst competing schools.
The Season 4 of the prestigious football tournament commenced in November 2014 with 20 male teams and 10 female teams from participating schools. The competition has been an exhilarating journey with several twists and turns that has seen the elimination of the defending champions in the male category and ultimately set the stage for a finals between regulars St. Gregory’s College and St. Finbars College
This season’s finals is poised to be an epic battle between two sides whose rivalry stretches beyond three decades. History will however be on the side of St. Gregory’s having defeated St. Finbar’s College in the 1979 finals as well as last season’s quarterfinals. But in soccer, anything can happen and history gets rewritten every day!
In the female category which promises to be an exciting encounter, Queen’s College, Yaba will seek to build on last season’s success as they attempt to defend their title against a defiant Ansar Ud Deen Girls High School who will be making their debut in the prestigious finals.
Winners will be rewarded with the sum of N750, 000.00, N500, 000.00 and N350, 000.00 for first, second and third place winners in both the male and female categories.
While commenting on the importance of education in nation building, Agbaje, said that “Sports and education are fundamental in fostering camaraderie and discipline amongst youths and imperative to their development. We are therefore proud to be pioneers of this initiative that provides an avenue for students to showcase their talents and passion for the game of football and stay in school”.
GTBank is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, most especially in sports education.
The GTBank Masters Cup as well as the Principals Cup tournaments in Lagos and Ogun states are some of the projects the bank has taken up in this regards.
