The MTN Champs Athletics Competition’s third season officially began on Thursday, March 13. The Classics will be held in the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Sports Complex and Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, two important locations.
Over 2,000 young athletes came together to compete in a variety of track and field events, such as the Shot Put, Long Jump, 100-, and 400-meter sprints, in youth and cadet categories.
Dennis Idahosa, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, ceremoniously cut the ribbon to officially start the games at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. He had this to say to the athletes: “We thank the management and staff of MTN for bringing this competition to our dear state—a state of culture and hospitality. Our people are passionate about sports, so it is only fitting that we host this prestigious event. I charge all the athletes here today to give it their best.”
The Edo State Sports Commission’s Permanent Secretary, Efe Amenze, and Chairman, Desmond Amadin Enebulele, were also in attendance at the occasion. MTN Champs is run in collaboration with Making of Champions (MoC), a sports media, talent management, and events organisation dedicated to identifying the next wave of Nigerian athletes, BrandSpur Nigeria news reports.
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Speaking about the platform’s inspiration, a MoC spokesman stated: “If you look at Nigeria’s Olympic history, we’ve won about 27 medals, and over half of them, about 14, have come from athletics. Nigeria has the talent. Our mission is to find and nurture these champions.”
MTN Nigeria’s Senior Manager of Go-to-Market, Osaze Ebueku, highlighted MTN Champs’ long-term goal, saying: “Our message from day one has been clear. We’re building future Olympians for Nigeria. MTN Champs is about more than competition; it’s about changing lives. Many of the athletes here today, like the MVPs for example, wouldn’t have had these opportunities without this platform. We’re putting them in the spotlight, connecting them with mentors, and helping them realize their potential.”
Continuing, Ebueku linked the occasion to MTN’s broader social impact initiative, the Go M.A.D. (Make A Difference) with MTN Data campaign, by stating: “Champs is an extension of that mission. We want every young person here to not only compete but to be inspired to go make a difference in their lives, in their communities, and for Nigeria.”
