Sports

Abuja Hosts African Karate Championship as 31 Nations Battle for Glory

Published

1 year ago

July 21, 2025

….Karate Federation President Agara Pledges Impactful Championship

Joel Ajayi

No fewer than 1,000 athletes have arrived in Abuja for the 2025 African Karate Championship, scheduled to hold from July 21 to July 28.

, President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), Silas Agara stated this in Press Conference on Abuja on Sunday that 31 countries, alongside host nation Nigeria, will compete across four categories of the sport.

Agara explained that the categories include:Cadet (ages 14–15), Junior (ages 16–17),Senior, and Para-karate (for athletes aged 18 and above).

According to him, Today, we are happy to announce that most of the countries that indicated interest in participating in the African Championship are already on ground,” Agara stated.

“We also have international officials present to provide technical support throughout the event. As a federation, we have been working tirelessly over the past week to ensure all logistics are in place, including accommodation for the visiting countries.”

He noted that as of Wednesday night—the official deadline for registration—31 countries had confirmed participation, with over 1,000 athletes and officials expected in total.

“Coordinating logistics for these athletes and officials has been quite demanding, especially regarding accommodation, transportation, and immigration matters, such as visa-on-arrival processing. However, I’m happy to say that we are on course,” he added.

Agara further disclosed that the General Assembly of the African Karate Federation will also take place in Abuja during the championship.

In his remarks, Dave Jegede, Technical Director of the KFN, said Nigeria would present 60 athletes for the championship, all of whom are in high spirits ahead of the competition.

“In anticipation of this event, we have been preparing extensively. As the host nation, we organized several national and regional championships to keep our athletes sharp and competition-ready,” Jegede said.

“We’ve held four national and two regional tournaments leading up to this championship. Our 60-athlete team includes African and Commonwealth medalists—gold, silver, and bronze winners—so we are confident in their ability to make Nigeria proud,” he added.

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Sports

Nigeria Volleyball Reporters Congratulates Oguntimehin On Election As Fct Swan Chairman

Published

8 hours ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

The Nigeria Volleyball Reporters Association (NVRA) has congratulated Tolu Oguntimehin on his election as Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter.

NVRA described his emergence as an opportunity to strengthen sports journalism and advance the welfare of members.

Oguntimehin emerged victorious at the FCT SWAN elective congress held on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, defeating his challenger, Raphael Ekpang, by 88 votes to four.

In a congratulatory message, the Chairman of Nigeria Volleyball Reporters, Alhaji Ganiyu Oloyede described the election outcome as a testament to the confidence reposed in Oguntimehin by members of the association.

Oloyede expressed optimism that the new chairman would bring purposeful leadership, inclusiveness and renewed commitment to the development of sports journalism in the FCT.

He stressed that the responsibility of leading the association goes beyond occupying an office.

Oloyede noted that the new administration must prioritise members’ welfare, professional development, unity and the protection of their collective interests.

The NVR chairman also challenged the incoming leadership to create an enabling environment where sports journalists can thrive professionally, gain greater access to sporting events and contribute meaningfully to the growth of Nigerian sports.

He particularly welcomed Oguntimehin’s commitment to establishing a ₦200 million financial base for the association, describing the proposed initiative as an ambitious step towards building a financially stronger and more sustainable SWAN FCT.

Oloyede further emphasised the importance of collaboration among sports journalists, sports federations, government institutions and other stakeholders, maintaining that stronger partnerships would create more opportunities for members and improve the quality of sports reporting.

He urged the new executive to embrace transparency, accountability and open communication while ensuring that every member feels represented in the administration.

The Nigeria Volleyball Reporters reaffirmed its readiness to work with the new SWAN FCT leadership in promoting sports journalism, strengthening professional relationships and projecting Nigerian sports positively.

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