WEEK 5

The highly anticipated finals of the Nigeria Bankers Games have concluded, bringing to a close another thrilling season of sporting excellence. The competition, which saw participation from various banks across the country, witnessed a display of exceptional athleticism, camaraderie, and sportsmanship.

The games, which spanned 5 weeks, saw bankers from across the country showcase their athletics prowess and sporting spirit.

Novelty Match.

The finals kicked off with an exciting novelty match between First City Monument Bank {FCMB} and the NBG All-Stars, resulting in a thrilling 1-1 draw. It was an opportunity for NBG Veterans like Bamidele Odunuga of Ecobank, Morrison Tuoyor of Union Bank, Solomon Idowu, Keirian Ahuchiama and Taiwo Ogunleye all of First Bank to have a feel of the grass in a nostalgic return to the Unilag football stadium. This match set the tone for the intense grand finale that followed.

Athletics

The athletics finals were a showcase of speed, endurance, and determination. Saidat Saheed of FCMB in a very dominant effort to erase the heartbreak of 2022, endured to win the women’s 400m, clinching the gold medal with a time of 79.9 seconds. In the men’s 400m, Giftson Chucks Onwanchi of Sterling Bank emerged victorious, while Emmanuel Sylvanus of Wema Bank and Joseph Obayemi of Sterling Bank secured silver and Bronze, respectively.

The 200m finals were equally exciting. Wema Bank’s Ayakuraiere Kodoye and Queen Yaah Bansi swept the podium in the women’s race, earning gold and silver medals, respectively. Oluwarayi Grace of First Bank of Nigeria secured the bronze medal. In the men’s 200m, Shokunbi Samuel of First Bank of Nigeria claimed the gold medal with a time of 23.1 seconds, edging out Eyo Antigba of Sterling Bank and Emmanuel Sylvanus of Wema Bank, who won silver and bronze, respectively.

The 100m finals was a testament to the athletes’ fine preparations for the showpiece. Ayakuraiere Kodoye of Wema Bank dominated the women’s race, taking home the gold medal effectively becoming the Queen of the tracks having achieved a similar feat in 2022. Oluwarayi Grace and Salihu Kudiratu, both representing First Bank of Nigeria, secured silver and bronze medals, respectively. In the men’s 100m, Giftson Chucks Onwanchi of Sterling Bank emerged victorious with a remarkable time of 11.86 seconds. His teammate, Eyo Antigba, won silver with a time of 12.18 seconds while Phillip Emmanuel of First Bank of Nigeria clinched the bronze medal with a time of 12.22 seconds.

The athletics finals concluded with the exhilarating 4 x 100m relay races. Wema Bank’s women’s team dominated, securing the gold medal with a time of 55.6 seconds. First Bank of Nigeria and Sterling Bank followed closely, earning silver and bronze medals, respectively. In the men’s relay, Sterling Bank emerged victorious, claiming the gold medal. First Bank of Nigeria secured silver, while Wema Bank won the bronze medal.

Football

The football third place playoff was a nail-biting affair, with Sterling Bank, the defending champions, facing off against debutants, Access Bank. Sterling Bank emerged victorious with a score of 2-0, thanks to goals from Eze Philemon in the 53^rd minute and Ayomikun Omole in the 60^th minute. For a team making its debut at the tournament, Access Bank’s performance shows tremendous promise and makes them a team to

watch out for in the future.

Finals

And then there was the big one. The Audacious Knights of Wema Bank appearing in their first ever football finals taking on the Elephant Boys of First Bank who were making their 5^th finals appearance albeit without winning Gold yet.

As predicted, it was an exciting end to end encounter as both teams knew what was at stake. Wema Bank with a chance to win Gold at their very first finals and First Bank looking to bury the failures of past seasons and finally get their hands on a Gold that has so far eluded them.

First Bank had the better chances in the game with Bashir Umar trying to organize things in midfield and Captain fantastic Dimeji Ojo driving them on. However, they were constantly thwarted by the efforts of eventual best Overall defender, Solomon Omereghe and his co defender and captain, Akinniyi Sanni.

Wema Bank’s Benjamin Collins and Taiwo Adebola remained a worry for the First Bank defence, but at the end, the match ended in a goalless draw at full time, leading to a penalty shootout.

First Bank of Nigeria’s Goalkeeper, Lucky Anyebe saved Wema Bank’s final spot kick to hand victory to First Bank and giving them their first Gold medal in the football event.

At the end of 5 weeks of sports, fun, networking, work-life balance, Wema Bank hauled in 26 medals to once again emerge as the Overall Champions of the tournament, defending the title they won last season.

The final day of the Nigeria Bankers Games was witnessed by a capacity crowd at the Unilag Sports Complex. The finals once again drew friends, family and all comers, demonstrating once again the power of sport to unite and inspire. The athletes showcased their talent, and sportsmanship, making this year’s games a resounding success.

Congratulations to Wema Bank for emerging overall Champions for the second consecutive season with total medal haul of 26 medals consisting of 9 Gold, 7 Silver, and 10 Bronze Medals; congratulations to First Bank for clinching their first Gold medal in football, congratulations to Frederick Rekuoya and Solomon Idowu for their resilience in table tennis, congratulations to Ayakuraire Kodoye for gaining queenship status on the tracks, congratulations to the volleyball teams that made their debut this season, congratulations to Access Bank for finally joining the NBG family, congratulations to all the winners and participants for their gallantry and true sportsmanship.