A major milestone was recorded at grassroots level yesterday in Lagos, as the 6th National School Sports Festival gets N35m lift from Sterling Bank.

This development is a boost to the organisers of the sports fiesta - Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) through the efforts of National Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM), which facilitated the Sterling Bank's gesture.

At the presentation of the cheque yesterday, Sterling Bank's Group Head, Strategy and Communications, Shina Atilola said the gesture is part of the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) to support a noble initiative that would affect lives positively.

Atilola said as the responsible organization, Sterling Bank was convinced with the efforts being by National Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM) through NSSF to develop sports at grassroots level across the country.

"We were approached by NASCOM to support NSSF in its programmes and we were convinced that with what NSSF is doing, the future is being built now and for us at Sterling Bank, we don't want to shy away from shaping the future for our tomorrow's leaders. This is also part of our CSR and we believe education and sports can go together. We are dedicated to this cause and we hope that other corporate organisations will come forth and support this noble cause for us to secure the future of our youths," Atilola said.

He added: "This is a new beginning and we are already identify with this and we are urging other corporate bodies to join us. We believe it is a flagship initiative that everyone needs to identify with. We are aware of the efficiency and effectiveness of NSSF because they have been able to execute their programmes in the past without any fund and they justified their action. So for Sterling Bank, what they are doing is a justifiable cause and so we will continue to support them."

For the President of NSSF, Ibrahim Muhammad, this gesture by Sterling Bank has indeed rekindle hope and a sure future for Nigerian kids.

The NSSF boss was particularly grateful to NASCOM, which he said facilitated the gesture, while assuring the bank that the funds would be judiciously utilized for the fiesta scheduled to hold in Kwara this month.

"We are happy that for the first time in the history of the National School Sports Festival, we are having a major sponsor and this for us is indeed a lift. I also want to confirm that since the new NASCOM came on board, we have sincerity and transparency and this for us has also given us hope that the future is bright. We are grateful to NASCOM for bringing life to school sports through their various initiatives and we are also thanking Sterling Bank for this as we promise to repay their trust by producing educated champions for the country," Muhammad said.