Sports
Chief Edeh Motivates Benue Coaches at NIS Abuja, Aims to Train 500 Grassroots Instructors
Cyrillic Ogar
Thursday, October 23, 2025, will be remembered for a long time by Benue State grassroots football coaches attending the Basic Coaching Course at the National Institute for Sports in Abuja. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and emotion as the Chairman of the Benue State Football Association, Chief Dr Paul Edeh Esq, visited the 18 coaches currently on full scholarship through his sponsorship.
The Class Governor and leader of the Benue delegation, Mr Shadrack Ugah, who spoke on behalf of the participants, said the visit was both humbling and inspiring. He thanked the FA Chairman for his generosity and fatherly concern, describing the gesture as one that has changed the story of grassroots coaching in Benue. “We feel seen, supported and inspired. Sir, your visit means more than words can express. We promise to justify this investment by being good ambassadors of Benue State,” Ugah said, as his colleagues nodded in agreement.
Responding, Chief Edeh commended the coaches for their commitment and charged them to carry themselves as leaders in character and discipline. “You are not just here to learn, you are here to build the future,” he said. “Leadership in football is not about position or age, it is about mentality, sacrifice and consistency. If you carry yourselves with the right attitude, the respect will follow.”
He explained that his vision is to see Benue coaches rise to national and international relevance through knowledge and professionalism. “Every great player begins under a good coach,” he said. “That is why we are investing in you. Coaching is the heart of football development. When we strengthen you, we strengthen the entire system.”
Chief Edeh also urged the participants to embrace the business side of football, saying that true development goes beyond passion. “You must understand the economics of football. It is not enough to train players; you must also learn how to benefit from your effort. When you develop a player, you are creating value, and that value should bring reward to you and to Benue State,” he said.
He revealed that over three million naira had already been committed to the sponsorship and welfare of the coaches and announced further support to make their stay in Abuja more comfortable. He directed that funds be provided for improved hostel accommodation and promised shirts and caps for all participants, adding, “When I return, I want to see all of you in uniform. We must look like one family. And let me say this, I expect the best graduating student in this course to come from Benue.”
The coaches cheered and applauded as their benefactor spoke with warmth and conviction. The session soon turned emotional as one of the beneficiaries who had earlier been sponsored for the NFF D License Coaching Course Mac Imenger presented his certificate to the Chairman in appreciation. Chief Edeh smiled as he received it and said, “This is what gives me joy, to see you grow, to see you improve, and to know that something good is happening because of these opportunities.”
Reaffirming his long-term vision for grassroots coaching, Chief Edeh announced a new target to train at least 500 Benue coaches through the National Institute for Sports. “It may sound ambitious, but it is achievable,” he said. “We have started already, and we will not stop until Benue football becomes a reference point for others.”
He ended by urging the coaches to uphold unity and purpose. “This is not about me,” he said, “it is about all of us. Let us make Benue football strong again. When you return, carry this fire with you. Use your knowledge to change your communities. The players you train today will become the pride of our state tomorrow.”
As the FA Chairman departed, the coaches burst into songs and cheers, surrounding him with gratitude and admiration. Their faces told a story of renewed faith and purpose, one that echoed the spirit of a new beginning for football in Benue State. It was a day that ended with smiles, hope and the promise of a brighter future for the game they love.
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
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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