Sports
Abeokuta agog as Nigeria’s Elite Para Athletes gear up for BetKing 3×3 Wheelchair Tournament
Joel Ajayi
The Sporting city of Abeokuta will come alive in a few days time when the highly anticipated BetKing 3×3 wheelchair Basketball tournament begins from April 3 to 7, 2025.
The entire Ijeja neighborhood in Abeokuta is already anticipating the dunking off of the tournament and also gearing up to welcome top sports dignitaries and athletes from across the Country.
Among the top administrators expected at the tournament include the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, the Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade and the President of the Nigeria Para-Olympic Committee, Sunday Oyebode.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Elite Athletes and Podium Board, Yusuf Ali , is also expected to grace the Championship.
President of the Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation, Seyi Johnson, emphasized the core essence of the tournament which he says it’s primarily to discover new talent and select players for the National team.
” As a board we are very intentional about having a sustainable pool of talents so that at every time the county will not lack athletes for international competitions”.
” Para Sports have always being Nigeria’s area of strength at major international competitions and there is need to maintain that momentum with regular competitions of this nature”.
” Qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is our priority as a board and we know we have a very good chance when we go for the Qualifiers in South Africa later this year”.
” This is why we are not leaving any stone unturned to ensure we have a very good competition with this 3×3 National tournament at the Lake Sports Centre in Ijeja, Abeokuta and we are happy with the kind of support we are getting from the National Sports Commission, NSC”, he concluded.
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums
Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.
Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.
In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”
He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.
“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”
Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT
Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.
“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.
Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.
“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”
The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.
He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development
As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.
“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”
Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.
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