By Adedapo Adesanya
ND Western Limited, an indigenous oil and gas company and pioneer lead sponsor of Making of Champion’s Student-Athlete, has announced a full US collegiate scholarship recipient for one of its student-athletes.
The five-year partnership between ND Western and Making of Champions (MoC) has awarded Student-Athlete Scholarships at both secondary schools and universities in Nigeria, as well as sponsored talent search competitions that have discovered current and future star athletes for Nigeria.
Founded in 2013, Making of Champions Limited is a Sports Media & Management Company that was set up to elevate the profile and performance of Sports in Nigeria and the rest of Africa. The company is dedicated to maximising the potential that sports have to bring the country, and the continent as a whole, together.
Based on her incredible potential, the promising teenage athlete, Ms Maria Umoibang, has been awarded the US Collegiate Scholarship at South Plains College in Texas. The scholarship paid for her tuition, training, physiotherapy, apparel, gym, transport, and dietary support, as well as covering all her US visa processing expenses and even her flight to the USA to start her new life as a Collegiate Student-Athlete.
She was trained by Olympic Medalist & MoC Head Coach, Deji Aliu, and was the fastest 15-year-old in Nigeria in 2020 before becoming one of the youngest athletes ever to contest the 100m Final at Nigeria’s Olympic Trials at the age of 16 in 2021.
Speaking at the official announcement, the Head of Commercial, Mr Sunday Okunbor, said ND Western was committed to investing in the next generation and Making of Champions has been a good partner in ensuring young talents can live their dreams.
“Sustainable development is fundamental to our operations hence, we stay true to our Environmental, Social, and Governance, ensuring both work in tandem to enable us to contribute our quota in achieving a better society and by extension, a brighter future for nations with our footprint,” he said.
Mr Bambo Akani, the CEO/ Founder of MoC, commended ND Western for working with MoC since 2017, a partnership he said has yielded great results. “We are excited about our partnership with ND Western as there is a need to encourage and support the pool of talents.
“The partnership is in line with our mission to raise champions for Nigeria, and ND Western has displayed how truly it powers the nation by creating champions in the classroom and on the track. We are also optimistic that Maria and other beneficiaries will be recognized champions in Nigeria and the world.”
The frontrunner assured that she would live up to expectations as she begins another phase of her life.
“I can’t thank you enough; you are indeed family. It has been my dream to make my family proud, and you have put me on the right track to achieve this”, said Ms Umoibang.
ND Western’s partnership with MoC dates back to 2017 — the Student-Athlete Scholarship is the first of its kind in Nigeria, awarding full Scholarships to talented teenagers in Nigerian Secondary Schools and Universities, many of whom have gone on to win National, Continental, and Global medals, with several recipients earning US Collegiate Scholarships worth over $1 million combined to date.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Dipo Olowookere