Sports

Japanese Embassy Donates over 100 Kendama Sports Kits to children in Nigeria

Published

2 years ago

April 3, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The Japanese embassy to Nigeria has donated Kendama Sports equipment to over 100 Nigeria’s children as a way of promoting the game in the country.

Over the weekend, Tony International Gymnastics TIG Club of Nigeria in conjunction with Japan Embassy in Nigeria, introduced another brand new creative Sports called “Kendama Toothed Sport” to the country.

The first ever Kendama toothed Sports games took place at Moshood Abiola National stadium Gymnastic hall where children and parents in numbers learn how to play Kendama for the first time.

At the exhibition of the game, the Japanese Ambassador Matsunaga Kazuyoshi highlighted the importance of the kendama sports game.

He expressed that the game will help to build the physical, mental and social benefits including good aerobic exercise and development of concentration of children.

“By donating Kendama kits to children and their parents, I hope it will build family bonds and build children’s confidence. Playing kendama together can be fun and engaging activities, it will allow children to progress and achieve at their own pace.

“We hope this donation will give children in Nigeria the opportunity to learn and play Kendama and experience the benefit that comes with it.

“We also hope that this donation will help to strengthen the bilateral relations between our two countries and highlight the potential of kendama for social impact in Nigeria.

An elated Founder of TIG Club coach Anthony Asuoqo thanked the Japanese embassy for counting TIG Club worthy, saying the club is going to its best to promote the game in Nigeria and beyond.

According to him, the new game is about their mental alertness, it’s about techniques, and coordination.

“It’s a thing of joy for me that this game was introduced to Nigeria through TIG Club, today we have over 100 children and their parents.

“We will be working with the Japanese embassy to spread the game. We have determined to take this game to all the states, the game has to go round the country as well as all the gymnastics clubs and federations.”

It will be recalled that Japan Embassy and TIG Club of Abuja over the years had partnered with the aim of prospering sports in Nigeria.

There is no doubt the partner is now contributing to the growth and development of sports such as gymnastic, Karate, Taekwondo and now Kendama sports

However, The Kendama game is a traditional Japanese skill toy that consists of a handle (ken), a pair of cups (sarado), and a ball (tama) that are all connected together by a string.

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Sports

Mahanaim FC too good for Green Lock in first match of the year

Published

2 days ago

February 2, 2025

The Gleamer

Mahanaim FC kicked-off year 2025 with a victory over Greenlock FC on Saturday, at the Bwari Township Stadium. Goals from Aliyu Imran and Nambou Roman were enough to secure victory for the boys in our first match of the year.

Both teams hadn’t met since 2023 when we cruised to a 2-nil win over them. That result set the tone for our match on Saturday, with our opponents hoping to get one over us this time.

Our Coaches, Saheed Jimoh and Jackson Mbuk had set up a line up which had a blend of young players and the experienced ones, including Haruna Abdullahi, who also got a goal the last time we played GreenLock.

After the opening exchange in first few minutes, Haruna bursted through the middle into the opponents 18-yards, Dribbling his way past three players before setting up Aliyu Imran who finished the move with a goal from close range. The game became very close from that point onwards with only the goal separating the teams.

After the break, the match became more open as we pushed forward searching for the second goal. GreenLock FC came close a couple of times before finding an equaliser through a low free- kick from Samuel Daniel, that went past our Goal-Keeper, David Adolphus.

Barely two minutes after the equaliser, Haruna Abdullahi once again conjured a magical pass that found Nambou Roman who had replaced Aliyu Imran in the attack. Roman’s well timed run was complemented by Haruna’s defence spliting pass. Roman lobbed the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper into the net, to restore our lead.

GreenLock FC fought fiercely to find an equaliser but our defence line which had Nura Yahaya, Jesse Mokele, Salisu Hamisu and Marcus Haruna stood firm with the help of the midfielders, Daniel Egwuatu and Ikoh Danjuma, as we gained another victory over GreenLock FC in our first match of 2025.

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