Sports

Korean Ambasador Thumbs NTF, Pledges More Support

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2024

..As Africa Teakwondo Union upgrade Korean Ambassador’s tourney to G1 ranking tournament
Joel Ajayi

The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency KIM Pankyu, has thumbed the level of growth and development in the game of teakwoodo across Nigeria as he pledged more supports to the federation to enable more growth.

He gave this assurance weekend in Abuja at the just concluded 12th edition of Korean Ambassador’s Cup Teakwondo Tournament where over 200 teakwondo player competed for honour.

According to him, as you know, Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art loved by many people around the world. Not only does Taekwondo enhance your physical strength, it also disciplines your mind and soul.

“Taekwondo encourages competition, but at the same time teaches us fairness and respect. These aspects helped Taekwondo become a global sport. And now, thanks to people, I am proud to see the popularity of Taekwondo grow in Nigeria.

“The Ambassador’s Championship is part of our efforts to promote Taekwondo in Nigeria. It also aims to help Nigerian athletes to improve their skills so that they can compete on the global stage.”

And we will continuing supporting Nigeria to a stage where Nigeria will win gold medal in the game at Olympic or any world stage.

In his address, the President of NTF said that, the tournament creating a platform fforall our athletes to showcase their skills and passion for this beautiful martial art.

“I also want to express my sincere gratitude to the coaches and officials who have devoted their time and expertise to support our athletes. Your hard work behind the scenes has been instrumental in making this championship a resounding success. It is your commitment that nurtures the talent of our athletes, shaping them into the champions of tomorrow.

“I am filled with optimism about the future of Taekwondo in Nigeria. Together, we will continue to work diligently to improve our training programs, expand our reach, and develop more young athletes. I envision a Nigeria where Taekwondo thrives at all levels, from grassroots programs to international competitions.”

He thanked all sponsors and partners whose generous contributions have contributed to the success of 12th Korean Ambassador Cup.In his remarked, the President Africa Teakwondo Union, Mr Ide Issaka, who was happy with level of progress in Nigeria announced that African union has decided to upgrade Korean Ambassador Taekwondo Cup Championship that has been existing in the last twelve years to the G1 ranking tournament in Africa where other Africa country will participating.

President who was represented by his vice president; chief Jonathan Nnaji the Africa Union is happy about the progress of the Taekwondo in the country expressed that, Taekwondo union, Africa Taekwondo union will continue to support the Taekwondo federation.

“It’s worthy of note that the Korean Ambassador has been sustaining the sponsorship for all these years. This to a very high essence, which has helped in no small measure in making Nigeria and Africa great. Also, the world at large.”

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

18 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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