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Feet ‘n’ Tricks Redeems Pledges Worth Over N20m, Handover Saloon Car, Ticket, Prize Money

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9 years ago

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Presentation of Prize 1: l-r: Overall Winner, Nigeria Freestyle Football Championship, Mr McCarthy Obanor, beside the Saloon Car donated by GAC Motors to 1st Prize Winner ; Chairman of Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Valentine Ozigbo; Senior Sales Manager, CIG Motors Limited, distributor of GAC brands of vehicles in Nigeria, Mr. Phillip Eboka; National Coordinator, Federal Engagement and Enlightenment Tax Teams, Federal Inland Revenue Services(FIRS), Alhaji Kunle Oseni; CEO, Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Mr O’Dyke Nzewi, at the presentation ceremony of prizes to winners of the Nigeria Freestyle Football Championship organised by Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited , in Lagos on Monday

 

Feet ‘n’ Tricks International Limited, organizer of the just concluded Nigeria National Freestyle Championship, in conjunction with its major sponsor, GAC Motors, Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and VFD Group, have fulfilled their pledge as a brand new saloon car was handed to the 1st Prize Winner in the male category of the competition, McCarthy Obanor

The saloon car, travel ticket and other prizes, won during the very successful competition held last weekend at the Ikeja City Mall, were handed over to winners at an impressive ceremony held at the GAC Motor Office in Victoria Island Lagos and witnessed by other major sponsors of the event.

The winners apart from Mr. McCarthy Obanor, who will represent Nigeria at the World Super Ball Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, include  Mayowa Bababunmi, a medical doctor, who placed second, winning N750,000.  Others are 2nd runner up, Austine Abariode who went home with N500,000.00 and 3rd runner up, Ifeanyi Nwabeke, who received N250,000.00 for his freestyle football skills.

In the female category, Rasheedat Ajibade, the captain of Nigeria’s Under 17 Women National Team clinched the title, winning the sum of N1m. Ajibade, a professional footballer, defeated Chidinma Okeke, her teammate in the national team in the final. Okeke collected N750,000 for her second place effort. Nduibisi Esther and Unamba Augustina were 2nd and 3rd place winners, receiving N500,000 and N250,000 respectively.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Valentine Ozigbo, appreciated the sponsors – GAC Motors, FIRS, Five Star Music, VFD Group, Wakanow, Wine and Things, Scavi & Ray, Pinnacle Communications and media groups including Hip TV, Cool FM Group, DBN and Channels for their support. 

He noted that the organisers would not have achieved this much in its first year without the belief the sponsors had in his company. “It is going to be bigger and better next year, we are going to be working with all that were part of this year’s and we promise a bigger and better tournament next year,” he concluded.

The Chairwoman of Choice International and representative of GAC Motors in Africa, Chief Diana Chan, said GAC Motors collaborated  with Feet ‘n’ Tricks to give better future and sustainable leaving to talented young men and women in Nigeria.

While promising the commitment of her company to future editions of the competition, she said, “Our mission in Nigeria is to offer the next credible alternatives to users of vehicles in Nigeria through our sincere commitment to offering high quality products and services to our customers, and in doing this to support the creative arts and sports and talented young Nigerians in order to bring out the best in them.”

Alhaji Kunle Oseni, National Coordinator for Tax Enlightenment, FIRS,  representing the Chairman of the agency said “FIRS is identifying with Feet ‘n’ Tricks as part of our corporate social responsibility given the very positive impacts professionalizing freestyle football would have for our young ones on the street, and then to enlighten our people more on tax matters.

Speaking on behalf of the winners, Mr. McCarthy Obanor, who will be sponsored to the world championship, thanked the organiser for giving freestyle footballers hope of bright future by committing huge resources to organising the competition despite the economic situations in the country. He promised to make Nigeria proud by winning the global event.

“For once , Free n Tricks have helped me in convincing my mother that there is future in freestyle football. Courtesy of the organisers with the support of the sponsors, I am not only a owner of a brand new car, a million naira, but most importantly, I will carrying my country’s flag in an international competition, what I have long for in my  seven years of freestyling,” Obanor said

Cynosure of all eyes was on Mayowa Bababunmi, a medical doctor who placed second. Asked how he developed his talents despite his tight medical profession practice, he said Freestyle has become a passion and relaxation tool for him. “with my involvement, I believe I have encouraged other professionals to live their passion,”, Mayowa said

Presentation of Prize 5: l-r: CEO, Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Mr O’Dyke Nzewi ; Chairman of Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Valentine Ozigbo ; Senior Sales Manager, CIG Motors Limited, distributor of GAC brands of vehicles in Nigeria, Mr. Phillip Eboka; Winner, Women Category, Nigeria Freestyle Football Championship, Miss Rasheedat Ajibade; Overall Winner, Nigeria National Freestyle Championship, Mr McCarthy Obanor; National Coordinator, Federal Engagement and Enlightenment Tax Teams, Federal Inland Revenue Services(FIRS), Alhaji Kunle Oseni; and Business Development Manager, VFD Microfinance Bank, Adaobi Ekweanya at the presentation ceremony of GAC Saloon Car and other prizes to winners of the Nigeria Freestyle Football Championship organised by Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited , in Lagos on Monday

Presentation of Prize 5: l-r: CEO, Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Mr O’Dyke Nzewi ; Chairman of Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Valentine Ozigbo ; Senior Sales Manager, CIG Motors Limited, distributor of GAC brands of vehicles in Nigeria, Mr. Phillip Eboka; Winner, Women Category, Nigeria Freestyle Football Championship, Miss Rasheedat Ajibade; Overall Winner, Nigeria National Freestyle Championship, Mr McCarthy Obanor; National Coordinator, Federal Engagement and Enlightenment Tax Teams, Federal Inland Revenue Services(FIRS), Alhaji Kunle Oseni; and Business Development Manager, VFD Microfinance Bank, Adaobi Ekweanya at the presentation ceremony of GAC Saloon Car and other prizes to winners of the Nigeria Freestyle Football Championship organised by Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited , in Lagos on Monday

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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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Business

FirstBank Partners Eko Hotels & KEY Academy for ChessMasters 2026 Tournament

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1 day ago

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April 9, 2026

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FirstBank Set to Launch Tailored Financial Services for Blind and Physically Challenged Customers  

FirstBank Partners Eko Hotels & KEY Academy for ChessMasters 2026 Tournament

 

Lagos, 30 March 2025 – FirstBank, West Africa’s premier financial institution and the leading financial inclusion service provider, has announced its strategic sponsorship of the second edition of ChessMasters, Africa’s largest school chess tournament. The announcement was made at the official press conference of the tournament held on 16 March 2026 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

 

ChessMasters is an annual chess tournament designed to equip the next generation with critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills. The competition targets children in primary school aged between 6 and 11 years old. Organised by Eko Hotels and Suites & KEY Academy , ChessMasters was created to provide thousands of children across Nigeria with opportunities to develop modern educational skills, bringing schools together on a national stage.

 

Speaking at the press conference, Olayinka Ijabiyi, Acting Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications at FirstBank, said, “Our sponsorship of ChessMasters 2026 reflects our commitment to building talents and communities, driving inclusion, and deepening engagement through our First@Sports initiative, a platform that celebrates talent and promotes social impact through sports. With over a century of supporting legacy sports in Nigeria, we are proud of our enduring partnerships – 105 years with the Georgian Cup, 65 years with the Lagos Amateur Golf Championship and 35 years with the Dala Hard Court Tennis Championship.”

 

Ijabiyi further highlighted how the sponsorship aligns with FirstBank’s sustainability pillars of Education, Health, and Welfare. “We recognise the potential of chess to help school-age children challenge themselves, think critically, and compete at the highest level, hence we see the tournament as a launchpad for a pan-African movement leveraging chess as a tool for education, empowerment, and leadership development. We are utilising this platform as another avenue to promote social impact and drive positive change in the community.”

 

Caline Chagoury Moudabar, Director and Co- Founder of ChessMasters and her partner Damilola Okonkwo of Key Academy, expressed appreciation for FirstBank’s support, noting that the partnership will help scale the impact of ChessMasters and inspire more schools to participate. “We are happy to welcome FirstBank on board. This collaboration will boost chess development in Nigeria and promote critical thinking among young minds. With support from partners like FirstBank, we are opening the doors of participation to more children and more schools in this year’s edition.”

 

Prince Adeyinka Adewole, Vice President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, commended the initiative, emphasising its role in nurturing future chess talents. “Chess connects people, ideas, and opportunities. It teaches children to be analytical, patient, and manage their time and resources effectively. Chess also improves concentration and has been particularly beneficial for children with autism.”

 

The second edition of ChessMasters will be held on Saturday, 2 May 2026 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos. The competition is open to 150 schools across Lagos, with over 700 students expected to participate and vie for a total prize pool of N10 million.

 

FirstBank’s involvement in the 2026 edition of the tournament reinforces the potential of ChessMasters to become a launchpad for African children, leveraging chess as a tool for education, empowerment, and leadership development.

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Alpha Morgan Bank Reinforces Commitment to Education at Redeemer’s University Business School Commissioning

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3 days ago

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April 7, 2026

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Alpha Morgan Bank Reinforces Commitment to Education at Redeemer’s University Business School Commissioning

Alpha Morgan Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to education and institutional development through its support for the commissioning of the Redeemer’s University Business School.

The Business School was officially inaugurated by Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye, at the commissioning ceremony attended by distinguished guests including Her Excellency, Mrs. Bola Obasanjo; the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Redeemers University, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; the Vice Chancellor, Professor Shadrach Olufemi Akindele; and other notable dignitaries.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Alpha Morgan Bank reiterated the  Bank’s commitment to supporting institutions that drive intellectual growth and national development.

As part of its broader focus on knowledge sharing and thought leadership, Alpha Morgan Bank will host its Economic Review Webinar in May 2026, bringing together experts to share insights on key economic trends and opportunities.
The Bank’s involvement reflects its continued dedication to empowering institutions and shaping the future of business and leadership in Nigeria.
Read more about Alpha Morgan Bank on www.alphamorganbank.com

 

 

PHOTO

L-R: Prof. Shadrach Olufemi Akindele, Vice Chancellor, Redeemers University, Engr.  Eloka Eje, Dr Perez Araka, Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, Mother-In-Israel, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mr Ade Buraimo, MD/CEO Alpha Morgan Bank, Dr (Mrs) Oluwatomi Somefun, Dr. Simeon Ifere, at the inauguration of the Redeemer’s University Business School, Redemption City, Ogun State on Thursday 2nd April, 2026

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Tinubu Aide Rebuts Rufai Oseni Over ₦3.3tn Power Debt Deal

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3 days ago

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April 7, 2026

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Otega Ogra: Online Misinformation Endangers Public Trust and Stability

Tinubu Aide Rebuts Rufai Oseni Over ₦3.3tn Power Debt Deal

The Presidency has strongly refuted allegations of “accounting fiction” and misinformation surrounding Nigeria’s ongoing power sector financial reforms.
O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Digital and New Media, took to social media to challenge comments made by Rufai Oseni, accusing the broadcaster of misrepresenting government efforts to resolve legacy debts in the electricity value chain.
At the heart of the dispute is the reconciliation of longstanding debts owed to Generation Companies (GenCos) and gas suppliers—an issue that has long constrained liquidity within Nigeria’s electricity market.
₦1.4 Trillion Reduction Explained
Responding to criticism over debt figures, Ogra clarified that total legacy obligations were reduced from ₦4.7 trillion in initial claims to a verified ₦3.3 trillion, representing a roughly 30% reduction.
“That is not spin. It is the difference between a claim and a verified obligation,” Ogra stated.
“In a regulated electricity market, submitted claims must be validated against contracts, market rules, and settlement records.”
Ogra also outlined tangible progress under the reform program, emphasizing that it has moved beyond “paper restructuring” to actual financial disbursements:
₦1.23 trillion structured under Phase I
₦501 billion already raised for the first series
₦223 billion disbursed to GenCos and gas suppliers
₦197 billion currently being processed
As of March 31, 2026, eight GenCos—covering 17 power plants—have signed settlement agreements totaling ₦2.28 trillion.
According to Ogra, the reform timeline, from President Tinubu’s July 2024 directive for a sector-wide review to Federal Executive Council approval in August 2025, demonstrates a deliberate push for transparency in a sector historically plagued by opacity.
“The real question is whether the final figure reflects verified contractual exposure. That is exactly what the review process was designed to achieve,” he said.
While defending the administration’s approach, Ogra acknowledged that clearing debts alone will not resolve Nigeria’s electricity challenges. He noted complementary reforms underway, including:
Tariff alignment based on service quality
Nationwide metering expansion
Improved payment discipline
Targeted subsidies for vulnerable citizens
In a pointed remark, he urged media commentators to distinguish between incomplete progress and misinformation:
“This is not the end of the problem, but it is a structured attempt to fix it.”
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