11TH JUNE 2012…

CAPTION: Blessing Okagbare (photo file)

With barely 50 days to the opening ceremony of the 30th Olympic Games in London,

Nigeria's foremost financial services institution, First Bank, has named the country’s reigning 100m champion, Blessing Okagbare as its Brand Ambassador to the Summer Games.

Her responsibility will be to showcase special products and services that will cater to the needs of Team Nigeria, teeming fans and Nigerians in the Diaspora during and after the Games.

According to Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications of First Bank Plc, Folake Ani-Mumuney, the bank is also partnering the track queen to groom future Olympic stars for the country.

To this end, the bank is bringing the three-time national 100m champion to Nigeria to advance the bank’s policy on youth empowerment through a forum in Lagos where she will address over 300 students on Saturday.

''First Bank is bringing Blessing Okagbare to Nigeria as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility policy on sports development and youth empowerment,'' said Ani-Mumuney.

She also hinted that the University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) graduate will address the selected students on goal setting, focus, and finishing strong in the face of challenges.

''She will narrate how she rose from a humble background to become one of today's sought-after stars in the world of track and field. She will reinforce the importance of Olympic values of respect, friendship, and excellence which First Bank subscribes to as well as highlights the importance of financial planning, especially in the peak of an athlete’s career,'' she added.

Okagbare will also urge the children to dream big and pursue a future that their hearts desire while harping on the dangers of spicing their systems with performance enhancing substances in the pursuit of success.