* Its CEO registers for the VIP race on Saturday
Managing Director of Ecobank, Charles Kie, has restated why the bank is in partnership with Okpekpe International 10Km Road Race scheduled to hold on Saturday May 12, 2018 in Okpekpe, Edo State.
Speaking at the weekend, the Managing Director of Ecobank, Charles Kie, said that the objective of the organisers of the race matches that of Ecobank and assured stakeholders that the bank will continue to throw its weight behind the race as its Official Bank.
 â€I want to use this opportunity to state here that Ecobank fully endorse this competition and will like to assure you that we will continue to be associated with the Okpekpe International Road Race,†he said.
He commended the organisers for the elevation of the race by IAAF to a silver label status, stressed that the competition brings together men and women from various parts of the world.
“I want to congratulate the organisers of the annual Okpekpe International 10Km Road Race for the elevation of the race to a silver labeled status. We in Ecobank remain committed to our partnership with Okpekpe road race. It is always a great pleasure to be at the event,†observed the Ecobank chief executive.
Kie who registered online at the renewal of the partnership for the 2018 edition of the race, promised to race in the VIP category.
Race owner and Chief Executive Officer at Pamodzi Sports Marketing Limited, Mike Itemuagbor, thanked Ecobank for the continuous support for the Okpekpe, the only silver labeled road race in West Africa.
“This year, we are bringing some innovations never ever witnessed in any road race in Nigeria. We are going to broadcast the race live on SuperSport on Saturday. SuperSport is going to use three Outside Broadcast vehicles to take the competition to the door steps of millions of people around the world,†observed the Pamodzi CEO.
Itemuagbo also revealed that medals are going to be presented to the first 1,000 runners to complete the race.
The Okpekpe International 10km Road Race is organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing, a leader in sports marketing, sponsorship, hospitality and Rights Acquisition business in Nigeria in conjunction with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Edo State Government.
The competition has set the pace for other road races in Nigeria and West Africa. It is the first road race in West Africa to be designated by the IAAF as one of the leading road races around the world since the classification was introduced in 2008. For three years since 2015, the race was organised under the prestigious IAAF Road Race Bronze Label and now it is the first road race to be granted a silver label status in West Africa.
The 2018 edition of the Race which holds on May 12th is the 6th edition. It will have over 5,000 runners participating.
