Emzor Pharmaceuticals has once again demonstrated its support for girl child empowerment through a partnership with the company’s Brand Ambassador and 4-Time African Women’s Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala.
The brand ambassador of Emzor Pharmaceuticals and Captain of Nigeria’s Super Falcons believes that ”the society must ensure that everything is done to encourage girl child education”. The FC Barcelona Champions League winner, who was the special guest at the 59th edition of the Annual Inter-house Athletics Competition of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos on Saturday, also used the occasion to call for more support for school sports.
Speaking at the event, Osoala said it is high time we appreciated the fact that educating the girl child is one of the major factors in having a very productive and egalitarian society. “There is no doubt that education is important in moving the society forward, and it will therefore be unfortunate, if girls are left behind. In this regard, everything must be done by everyone in the position of authority, to ensure that every girl has access to quality education”.
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Emzor, Mrs Uzoma Ezeoke who is also an ex student of the College, congratulated the school on behalf of Emzor Pharmaceuticals. “Emzor as a brand always associates with success and encourage people to be successful. We are proud to be here and to also have our brand ambassador to associate with the school. We will continue to encourage our young ladies to participate in sports and see sports as a tool for socioeconomic development. There is great prospect in a resourceful combination of sports and education.”
While encouraging the students to aim for success in whatever good thing they are doing, the Barcelona Female Football Club of Spain ace striker, said success is not served on a platter of gold. According to her; “Education and sports work hand in hand. As a student, you don’t need to drop one for another. What you need is discipline. With discipline, the sky is your limit. To achieve greatness in life, everything happens in stages. Whatever the situation, don’t give up. Being at the top of my career today didn’t happen overnight, it was a gradual process.”
Speaking further while handling presenting Emzor Pharmaceuticals’ products and branded materials to the School Principal for all winners of every competition of the day, Oshoala also called for more support for school sports; “I will also encourage the goverment to give more support to school sports. Education is not only about academics, sports also have a role to play in moulding the lives of the young ones. A successful sport person is a disciplined person. He or she is a person of good character and courage. We should do more to help build our young people through sports.”
In her welcome address at the event which was held in compliance with the Federal Ministry of Education’s directives on Covid-19 preventive measures, the Director and Principal of the School, Dr. (Mrs) TFO Yakubu-Oyinloye said, the students are continually proving their worth in not just academics but also in sports. According to her; “Our queens are proving their worth in all spheres of human endeavour, both within and outside the country. Indeed, we are the flagship for girl – education in Nigeria. The college believes in wholesome education. This is education of both the mind and body. Queens College produced notable women in the field of sports amongst whom are; Sonto Okpegbue who represented Nigeria in the African Youth Chess Championship in Zambia in 2015 and Oluyisola-Abiola Gold who also represented Nigeria in the African Youth Chess Championship in South Africa in 2016.”
Meanwhile, one of the main highlights of the occasion was the special football clinic for the College’s football team anchored by the special guest of the occasion, Asisat Oshoala. The students who were very excited to have the football star in their midst also expressed their joy in having such an opportunity. According to the School’s Sports Prefect, Favour Okafor, it was a memorable occasion. “Ours was initially to have a normal inter-house sports, we were not expecting it would be a such a big event where we would have a notable star like Asisat Oshoala not just in our midst but interacting with us. We would never forget this in a jiffy.” She said.
In the sports competition which featured lighting of the Torch of Unity, March Past, Calisthenics and various Athletics events, the defending champion, Obi House emerged the overall winner once again with 14 gold, 11 silver and 5 bronze, Obong came second with 5 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze, Obasa came third with 5 gold, 4 silver and 7 bronze, Dan Fodio came fourth with 3 gold 7 silver and 4 bronze, Emotan came fifth with 3 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze while Efunjoke emerged sixth with 3 gold 2 silver and 6 bronze.
