FirstBank Sponsors Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Football Championship 2026, Promotes Education Through School Sports

<h4>FirstBank Sponsors Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Football Championship 2026<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p><strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">OpenLife<&sol;a><&sol;strong> reports that FirstBank&comma; the premier bank in West Africa and a leading financial inclusion service provider&comma; is thrilled to announce its sponsorship of the maiden edition of the Samuel Okwaraji Under 16 Football Championship&comma; a nationwide youth football tournament organised to honour the late Samuel Okwaraji&comma; one of Nigeria’s most celebrated football legends renowned for his patriotism&comma; discipline&comma; and commitment to national service&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The tournament will engage secondary schools from all 36 states and the FCT&comma; in a two-stage competition&period; The first stage will feature zonal eliminations across the six geopolitical zones&comma; followed by a national final in Abuja featuring the top 12 qualifying teams&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The event will also include cultural displays&comma; memorial lectures&comma; and talent scouting opportunities by national team coaches&comma; ensuring a blend of sporting excellence and social impact&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;34994" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-34994" style&equals;"width&colon; 300px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"size-medium wp-image-34994" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2026&sol;04&sol;IMG-20260401-WA0092-300x286&period;jpg" alt&equals;"FirstBank Sponsors Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Football Championship 2026&comma; Promotes Education Through School Sports" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"286" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-34994" class&equals;"wp-caption-text"><em><strong>FirstBank Sponsors Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Football Championship 2026<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>Speaking on the sponsorship&comma; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank&comma; Olusegun Alebiosu&comma; said&colon; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Football is the strongest unifier of Nigerians&period; It brings communities together&comma; inspires discipline&comma; and nurtures talents across the country&period; FirstBank is making a deliberate incursion into grassroots football development with this sponsorship&comma; creating an enabling environment for the next generation of Samuel Okwarajis to discover&comma; refine&comma; and maximise their potential&comma; thereby shaping the future of Nigerian football&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In his remarks&comma; Senator Osita Izunaso&comma; the Chairman of the Championship Organising Committee commended FirstBank for throwing its weight around the championship&period; He said &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;FirstBank’s legacy predates modern Nigerian football&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The bank has once again shown that true corporate leadership lies in nation building&period; 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&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Through its First&commat;Sports initiative&comma; FirstBank has sustained an unbroken role in promoting the development of football and sports across Nigeria&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Bank is invested in nurturing talent through its ownership of the Elephant Boys Football Team currently competing in the Nigerian National League&period; The FirstBank Basketball Club popular known as the &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Elephant Girls” is also owned by the Bank&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Bank has supported youth-oriented and sporting initiatives including the National Sports Festival&comma; South-West Youth Games&comma; the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship for 35 years&comma; Lagos Amateur Golf Open Championship for 65 years&comma; and the Georgian Polo Cup for 105 years&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Bank’s sponsorship of the Samuel Okwaraji U-16 Tournament underscores its commitment to national unity&comma; empowering communities&comma; and fostering youth development&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;