Photo caption: The Director-General of the SEC, Lamido Yuguda (fourth left), displaying the CBN/NFF Tournament Trophy won by the SEC Team in Abuja on Wednesday, joined by former Super Eagles star, Daniel Amokachi  (second right); and Executive Commissioner Legal and Enforcement, SEC, Reginald Karawusa during the presentation of the to the SEC Management. Others are Executive Commissioner Operations at the commission, Dayo Obisan (left), Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services, Ibrahim Boyi, and the team captain, Umar Ismail.

Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Lamido Yuguda, was on Wednesday in Abuja presented with the trophy won by the victorious SEC Football Team at the just-concluded Central Bank of Nigeria All Financial Institutions Football Tournament.

The SEC team emerged tops among a total of 24 football teams from different financial institutions that participated in the tournament aimed at contributing to the development of sports and promoting financial inclusion in the country.

Speaking at the presentation of the trophy at a ceremony attended by the management of SEC and witnessed by ex-Super Eagles star, Daniel Amokachi, the SEC DG expressed delight at the victory of the team at the tourney.

Congratulating the team, he described the tournament as one of the avenues used by regulators and operators in the financial ecosystem to promote the development of sports in Nigeria.

According to Yuguda, “you have really done the SEC proud and I hope this is one of the first in the streams of trophies that you will bring back to the Commission.

“I was not really expecting the team to come back with the trophy and this was a big surprise when I was called that we qualified to the semi-finals and entered the finals and eventually became victorious.”

While commending Amokachi for celebrating with the team and the commission, he said the financial institutions’ tournament has led to the discovery of many football talents for Nigeria.

He expressed optimism that this year’s edition will also lead to the discovery of young talents that would do the country proud.

“For our young players in the SEC team, put in more efforts because the sky is your limit. Football is a great industry and it brings more joy to the nation because anytime the football team of Nigeria plays, everyone comes together to support them,” Yuguda said.

In his brief remarks at the event, Amokachi commended the support of the SEC management for football, urging members of the victorious team not to get carried away by the victory and forget the importance of education.

“I love this game and will do all to support it. There are a lot of lapses when it comes to football and it’s sad that I stopped playing football at 28 which is my peak. The young ones love to play football but I want to advise that they should also get an education.”

“There are a lot of people who need training and we need to upgrade the knowledge of the coaches that we have to be able to produce good players,” he stressed.

Highlights of the event were the presentation of a cash prize of N2m to the SEC team and plaques to the victorious members of the squad.