BY JACOB AJOM

The Central Bank of Nigeria has expressed satisfaction at the steady development and success of  the Junior Tennis Championship which it sponsors annually in collaboration with the International Tennis Academy.

The bank’s Director, Corporate Communications, represented by Head of External Communications, Ugo Okoroafor disclosed this in Lagos Thursday at a press briefing to usher in the 7th edition of the championship starting on Monday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club.

According to Okoroafor, “the management of the bank has noted with satisfaction the steady development and success recirded in the championship as players from CBN Junior Circuit have always represented Nigeria in the African Junior Tennis Championships and other international competitions.”

He listed some of the players to include Sarah Adegoke, Onyeka Mbanu, Biola Akewula and Christian Paul who are already challenging the senior players in the CBN Senior Open Tennis Championship, adding particularly that Paul, “won the Senior National Sports Festival held in Lagos in November, 2012.”

He stressed that with such young  players like Adegoke, Akewula, Paul and Mbonu making a real quick transition to the senior category, “we hope that with improved and continuous sponsorship, Nigeria will not only excel in the sport but provide tremendous engagement and empowerment opportunities for our youths.”

The CBN commended the Godwin Kienka-led International Tennis Academy, the facilitator of the championship “for its initiatives and mobilising players to participate in the championship and ensuring the success of the event.”