The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has said two of Nigeria’s biggest athletes, Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume signpost the future of the country’s athletes.
He stated this during the unveiling of the athletes as Premium Trust Bank brand ambassadors.
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Amusan in 2022 had blazed several trails culminating in winning the World Championships and creating a new World Record in the Women’s 100m hurdles, first for any Nigerian living or dead, while Brume has been consistent since winning a bronze medal at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo before further medals at the World Indoors, World Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
Dare during his speech also called on corporate organisations and individuals not to wait until the athletes are crowned champions before associating with them but they should invest with them when they are young.
“These athletes never relent, always thrive, consistent in their performances.
“Even on the big stage, they knew they had it in them and they never stop and when the time came, they showed up big time, they showed up for themselves first having done the sacrifices, gone through the discipline, because if you have talents and you don’t add discipline to it, you cannot excel.
“I want to thank Tobi for doing that job in Oregon, not just breaking the record, but breaking it twice the same night. I am thanking you on behalf of this country Nigeria, we are grateful.
“Ese came third at the Olympics, but to us, it was a golden bronze, thank you because when you came to the Commonwealth Games, you did it again.”
Also speaking at the unveiling, the MD/CEO of the bank, Emmanuel Emefienim, said the major goal of the bank is to support growth hence the maxim ‘Together for Growth’.
According to Emefienim, they decided to associate with the two renowned athletes to drive towards enabling the growth they put into their story.
The two athletes appreciated the bank for counting them worthy to be the Brand Ambassadors and promised to maintain the standard expected of them.
