Date: 2018-04-24

Government Secondary School, Gboko battling with Government Girls Secondary School, at the girls' final of the 20th Milo Basketball Championship, Emirate Conference, held at the Kwara State Township Stadium, Ilorin.

Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Elder Ayobola Samuel has applauded Nestle Nigeria for providing an encouraging platform for students to hone their basketball skills.

Speaking at the end of the Emirates Conference of the Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship in Ilorin last week, Elder Samuel also admonished the students to imbibe the lessons of fair play and team work, which sports teaches its adherents.

"When you are learning in school, character is very important and this will not just make the students graduate with good grades but also have a very good character that will build them for their future endeavors," he said.

He urged Nestle Nigeria to continue the great initiative as this will continue to help the country build promising youths. "I want to congratulate Nestle for their consistency. Organizing this championship for 20 years shows how reliable they are and I will like to appeal to them not to relent at what they do," Elder Ayobola remarked.

For 20 consecutive years, Milo has used sports as a metaphor to teach school children important life skills such as determination, confidence, discipline, teamwork, and respect. This year, over 9000 schools registered for the championship from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

At the Emirates Conference's final witnessed by sports enthusiasts from within and outside Kwara State, as well as students and officials of the participating schools, Father O' Connel Science College, Minna emerged winners of the boys' category by defeating Christ Comprehensive College, Kaduna 68 to 35.

In the girls' category, Government Secondary School, Gboko, retained its crown as the champion of the Emirates Conference, beating its Niger counterpart, Government Girls Secondary School, Minna.

The wins gave the young boys from Niger State and the young girls from Benue State the ticket to represent the region at the national finals in Lagos.