Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Football Club are the new champions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sponsored All Financial Institutions Football Competition (AFIFC).
The club defeated former champions Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) 1-0 in the final match played at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe to win the 35th edition of All Financial Institution Football Cup.
Our correspondent reports that FIRS FC went home with the trophy and a cash prize of N2 million while the runners-up and third placed team received the sum of N1.5 million and N1 million respectively.
While presenting the prizes to the winners and runners up, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, represented by the Gombe State’s branch comptroller, Shehu Alhaji Goringo, explained that the tournament was organized in collaboration with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
He said since its inception in 1979, the AFIFC has become a significant game among financial institutions in the country, adding that it creates an opportunity for social interaction among the financial institutions and regulators.
Emefiele stated that the competition over the years has also served as a grooming ground for young football playing bankers to become full professionals and national team players.
“It is on record that some of our decorated soccer heroes such as Kanu Nwankwo, Henry Nwosu and Stephen Keshi of blessed memory participated in this competition before representing Nigeria at several national and international competitions”. He revealed.
Also speaking, the representative of the president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and chairman Borno State Football Association, Babagana Kalli, lauded the Central Bank of Nigeria for its contributions towards the promotion and development of football and other sporting competitions in the nation.
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