Sports
FCT Area Council Sports Officers Laud Handball Chairman Remodeling Of Handball Court, Establishment Of Supporters Club
The Federal Capital Territory Area Council Sports Officers have lauded the pragmatic initiatives of the FCT Handball Association in remodeling the FCT Handball Court at Area 10.
The Sports Officers who stated this during a parley with the board of the FCT Handball Association on April 5, commended the Chairman of the board, Ambassador Edward Olutoke for his visionery leadership.
The Sports Officers from Kwali, Kuje, Bwari, Gwagwalada and AMAC Councils expressed hope that the current board will turn around the fortune of handball in the FCT
In his speech, Bwari Area Council Sports Officer Egbunu Jacob said the parley was timely and fruitful.
“I want to thank the Chairman and the board for this great union today. We have seen your laudable tracks within few months in office. Remodeling of the FCT Handball Court is highly commendable. I have not doubt that this board is the best thin that have happened to FCT Handball,” said.
On his part, the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC Sports Officer, Mr Peter Samson praised the board for their pragmatic initiatives as well as launching of Supporters Club, which he said was the first in the sport
“This gathering today is a manifestation of the pragmatic leadership in the board championed by the able Chairman, Ambassador Edward Olutoke.
“Few months in office, you singlehandedly remodeled the FCT Handball Court and also launched the FCT Handball Supporters Club. The first of its kind in the sport,” he stated.
They however presented their various challenges in the development and promotion of handball in their areas to include lack of fund, lack of space for training and lack of sponsorship to host competitions
Responding on behalf of the FCT Handball Association Board, the Chairman, Ambassador Edward Olutoke thanked the Sports Officers for honouring the invitation stressing that the meeting was a productive one.
“I want to thank all of you for honouring this invitation. I appreciate this respect you accorded us. We also appreciate your commendation. You have encouraged us to do more, and that is what we will do,” he said.
On the challenges facing handball at the various Area Councils, Ambassador Olutoke promised that the board will work in synergy with the Sports Officers for the development of handball in the hinterland.
“The problems you mentioned are obvious. We are not going to leave you behind. We will work in synergy for the development of handball across the FCT.
“We will support you to develop the handball sport in your area. We encourage you to also do your best, think outside the box on ways we can synergise to develop the game in your various Councils.
“I also encourage you to keep in touch with us. Whatever challenges you are facing, let us know. At the same time, make efforts to organise competitions at your councils. Through that, you will create awareness and we will come in to support you,” he said.
The Sports Officers from the five Area Councils of AMAC, Kwali, Bwari, Kuje and Gwagwalada were present while Abaji registered his absence.
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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