The management of Oceanic Bank International has assured Tennis enthusiasts that the ongoing Oceanic Lagos State Under 18 Tennis Classic Competition at the Tennis courts of Lagos State Sports Council will lay a lasting foundation for the emergence of future stars in the mould of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and our own Nduka Odizor.
The tennis tourney is a corporate social responsibility initiative of the Bank which seeks to promote the game and empower Nigerian youths to aspire to excel at the highest level of the game, including the Wimbledon, French and US Open competitions, among others.
The Bank’s management said Oceanic has a rich pedigree of sponsoring and supporting events that add value to Nigeria’s quest for human capacity development and economic prosperity.
The Bank's Chief Executive Officer, John Aboh, said the bank sees youth empowerment as a critical factor in developing the nation’s manpower and economy, adding that they are committed to replicating the success Nigeria have recorded in the area of supporting youth football to Tennis.
The event, strictly for Under 18 Boys and girls started on Monday at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, and is already producing sterling performances from these young players drawn from different parts of the state.
The final matches are scheduled to hold on Saturday at the prestigious Tennis Complex of the ultra-modern Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere in Lagos.
Speaking at the opening day of the competition, Akin Adesokan, chairman, Lagos Tennis Association, said the tourney was a “dream come true” in the LSTA’s quest to position Nigeria for greatness in line with global best practice in the game of Tennis.
“We remember with nostalgia that Lagos, nay Nigeria used to be listed in the world tennis map. Numerous international players like Nduka Odizor were listed in the world rankings. Lord Rumens Classic sponsored annually by Chief Ajitomo Alabi of blessed memory attracted international players into the country, Lagos state is understandably leading the vanguard of taking the nation back to its rightful place,” he said.
Commending Oceanic Bank for sponsoring the event, Adesokan urged other corporate bodies to partner with the Lagos State Government in its continuing quest to transform the state.
“In fact, words cannot convey our debt of gratitude to Oceanic Bank and hope that Oceanic will accept to sponsor this event annually, thus leaving a legacy for all to see. Oceanic Bank Plc has indeed set the standard for this Under 18 Tennis Competition and with their continued backing, Nigeria without doubt can be in the world tennis tournament circuit with an annual Eko ATP Open Tournament”
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