Glo Hosts Successful Special Olympics Athletes

L-R: Manager, Sports Programs, Special Olympics Nigeria, Adeola Oladugba, Special Olympics Athlete, Tejumola Ogunlela, State Head, SME, Lagos Zone, Globacom, Marie Macfoy and Special Oympics Athlete, Chima Maduakor when Globacom hosted the victorious Nigerian Special Olympics contingent on Friday at its corporate headquarters in Lagos.

Fully integrated telecommunications solutions provider, Globacom, on Friday received members of Nigeria’s Special Olympics team which it sponsored to the 2019 Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The three Olympians sponsored by the company were Chima Maduakor, Tejumola Ogunlela and Oyinkansola Givens Joseph. They were received at  Mike Adenuga Towers, headquarters of Globacom, in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The resilient spirit of the athletes is symbolised by Maduakor who, despite being deaf and dumb, is now a proud Olympics Gold medallist. He won Gold in the shot put event.

Ogunlela and Joseph equally made Nigeria proud. While Ogunlela won two bronze medals in swimming, Joseph won one silver and one bronze medal in badminton.

State Head, SME, Lagos Zone, Globacom, Marie Macfoy, who received the team said the company was delighted with the outstanding performance of the Olympians.

“Their exploits at the tournament were achieved by the team’s winning attitude and hard work, determination and an irrepressible personal belief that all things are possible, even in the face of severe challenges ”, she stated.

“Globacom is not new to Special Olympics sponsorship.  In 2011, we sponsored the Nigerian contingent to the Special Olympics held in Athens and the contingent returned with 27 medals,” Macfoy added.

She explained that Globacom sponsored the three athletes to the 2019 edition because it believed in the objectives of the games which included ‘improving the lives of special children, helping them  to reach their full potentials and creating greater social inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities’.

“I wish to assure you all that Globacom will continue to reward hard work and excellence in sports, whilst helping our youths to realize their potentials,” Macfoy concluded.

The leader of the Nigerian Contingent to the Special Olympics, Mr. Adeola Oladugba, said that Globacom’s financial assistance was what made it possible for the athletes to be at the games. “If not for Globacom’s support, the three athletes might not have been able to go on to the world stage. Globacom has done extremely well,” he declared.

Nigeria won a total of 33 gold, 21 silver and 10 bronze medals at the Special Olympic games which ended on March 21.