NIGERIA'S foremost athletics administrator and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) coaching instructor and course director, Rotimi Obajimi has hailed Firstbank for naming reigning national 100m champion, Blessing Okagbare its brand ambassador.Obajimi is however not surprised that Firstbank has taken another giant step in its policy on youth empowerment revealing that the bank has continued to be very consistent in its support for not only sporting activities but also social activities.''I'm not surprised Firstbank is blazing the trail in the area of endorsing athletes outside our footballers.The bank has maintained its leading role among all financial institutions in Nigeria. It has consistently lead the way in the area of sports sponsorships as well as sponsorships of other social events.Don't forget that only last year Firstbank celebrated 50 years of sponsoring the Lagos Amatuer Golf Open.It is rare to say such a thing about any other bank in Nigeria,'' said Obajimi who was a one time technical sub-committee head of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria. Obajimi is also convinced what Firstbank has done for Okagbare is a sign a better things to come for Nigeria's track and field athletes.''Now that Firstbank has taken the lead again as far as endorsing our athletes are concerned,I am certain other banks and companies will want to follow suit and this will be wonderful for our athletes who will now be able to make additional money through endorsement,''he said citing the example of world renowned golfer, Tiger Woods whom he said made 80% of his acclaimed over $1 billion career earnings through endorsement and only 20% from actual golf competitions.Obajimi is also thrilled Firstbank is the official banker of the Nigeria Olympic Committee and wants more corporate organisations to take a cue from the banker.'It is fitting that the biggest and most successful bank in Nigeria should be the official banker to an organisation in charge of preparing Nigerian athletes to the biggest sporting fiesta in the world, the Olympics,'' he said.Meanwhile Firstbank's head of marketing and corporate communications, Folake Ani-Mumuney has explained why her bank is backing the NOC on the London Olympic Games.''FirstBank decision to serve as Official Banker to the Nigerian Olympic Committee for the London 2012 Olympic Games is in line with our alignment with the values of respect, friendship, and excellence that drive the Olympic Games,''she said adding that Firstbank and the Olympic Movement share a rich pedigree of being organisations that have been promoting excellence, social responsibility and respect for globally acclaimed ethical principles for over 100 years of existence.''The quest for a united and peaceful world is a noble one that FirstBank identifies with. Our various Corporate social responsibility interventions in sports are borne out of our conviction that sports is a vehicle for promoting unity, youth empowerment and excellence,'' she further said.
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