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Foremost African Financial Institution, Guaranty Trust Bank plc, has announced the commencement of the 2017 edition of the GTBank – Ogun State Principals’ Cup Season 5 at a press conference held on Thursday, March 2, 2017, at the Cinema Hall, June 12 Cultural Center, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

GTBank has been at the forefront of promoting grassroots football in Nigeria,and in 2012 the Bank created the GTBankOgun State Principals Cup competition, a version of which it has sponsored in Lagos State since 2009. Now among the largest and most widely followed grassroots soccer competitions in Africa, the tournamentsare aimed at actively engaging secondary school students through sports whilst promoting the values of excellence and fair play. They also provide a platform for identifying, nurturing and grooming young and talented players and helping them on the journey towards actualizing their dreams of becoming world class footballers.

Season 4 of the GTBank Ogun State Principals Cup competition had more than 300 participating teams in the male and female categories, all drawn from schools across the four educational districts in Ogun State – Egba, Ijebu, Remo and Yewa. In the boys’ category, Alamuwa Grammar School, Ado Odo emerged champions after defeating Methodist Comprehensive College, Sagamu 2-1 in the finals, while Muslim High School, Isolu clinched the title in the girls’ category with a 3-2 victory over Iganmode Grammar School, Ota. Season 5 of the tournament will feature about 350 teams in the male and female categories with the eventual Winner, 1st , 2ndand 3rdRunners Up takinghome the total sum of N5 million.

Over the years, the GTBank Ogun State Principals Cup has launched the professional careers of several talented and renowned players like OpeyemiQudus, Owode Secondary School, Owode; Akin Ayinde, Ilugun High School, Orile-Ilegun; and Ibrahim Deinde, Akesan High School, Sagamu who played in the 2014 and 2015 editions of the tournament, andwere selected to join theNigerian U-15 Team.

Commenting on the tournament, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, stated that “The GTBank Ogun State Principals Cup is part of the Bank’s efforts to identify, nurture and groom young and talented players as they work towards their dream of being world class footballers whilst fostering and building a healthier lifestyle at a critical stage in their lives.” He further stated that “As we commence the5th season of this annual grassroots football competition, we remain committed to investing massively in the development of young people through education and sports.

Guaranty Trust Bank, a youth oriented brand, maintains the lead in providing support for education and sports to enable young boys and girls explore their talents and reach for their dreams. It is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, most especially in sports education. The Bank actively supports in-classroom and out-of-classroom educational programmes, infrastructure development, students’ scholarship and teachers training across Africa.

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CAF 2024 Awards: Nigeria’s ‘Super Falcons’ Wins National Team Of The Year (Female Category)

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The Nigerian women’s national football team, Super Falcons, were named “National Team of the Year” at the CAF Awards 2024.

This achievement, revealed on Monday by the Confederation of African Football during the presentation ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, further solidifies their dominance and excellence in African football.

This esteemed recognition underscores the team’s exceptional performances and significant contributions over the past year, as they continued to represent Nigeria at the pinnacle of women’s football in Africa.

The CAF Awards annually honor the best in African football, celebrating teams, players, and coaches who have excelled in their respective fields.

The Nigerian women’s team has consistently demonstrated resilience, skill, and determination on the international stage, earning the admiration of fans and experts alike.

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Four Years Ago I Failed In Front Of The World, Fast Forward, I’m The Best Player In Africa — Ademola Lookman

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Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles winger, says his success as the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year came after he “failed in front of the world” four years prior.

Lookman spoke after receiving the award as the best African male footballer of 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The 27-year-old finished ahead of Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.

He followed in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lookman referenced his failure to convert a penalty for Everton in November 2020.

Lookman had the opportunity to earn a point for Fulham in their English Premier League (EPL) match against West Ham United. Instead, he failed to execute a Panenka penalty kick that was easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski as West Ham won 1-0.

The penalty attempt earned him mockery on social media, and Scott Parker, Fulham’s manager, criticized the player publicly.

“Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.

“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.

“Firstly, I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.

“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates—club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”

“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”

Lookman left Fulham after that season for RB Salzburg in Germany, where he continued to flap his wings before taking flight following his move to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.

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Ademola Lookman Wins 2024 CAF Men’s Player Of The Year

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Ademola Lookman has been crowned the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year.

The Nigerian triumphed over Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi, Rowen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy to claim the prestigious award.

Atalanta’s forward, Lookman, succeeds his fellow Nigerian, Victor Osimhen, who was the recipient of the award last year.

The 27-year-old made a significant impact for Nigeria during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The talented winger netted three goals and provided one assist in the competition, with the Super Eagles securing second place.

He also achieved a historic hat-trick for Serie A club Atalanta in the final of the UEFA Europa League.

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