Sports

Nigeria’s Teqball Has Potential to Rule the World -Hungarian Embassy

Published

4 years ago

April 14, 2021

The Gleamer

….Teqball may debut in the Next NSF-President

….over 26 Coaches, 25 Referees certified

Joel Ajayi

Hungarian Teqball Instructor Fordos Soma, has revealed that the game of Teqball is on the rise in the Nigeria, saying that with level of seriousness on the part of all stakeholders in the country, there is a better future for the game.

It will be recalled that as part of Nigeria Teqball Federation determination to ensure that, the game Teqball becomes a house name has since commenced campaign and awareness about the beautiful game through sharing of Teqball tables to the state and clubs as well training capacity for the stakeholders across the country.

He stated this at the press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja when 51 coaches and referees received certificate on Teqball after four-day of capacity training workshop on basic level coaching and refereeing courses organized by the federation.

While speaking, instructor Soma, said Nigeria has mental, physical and human capacity to rule the world in Teqball in the nearest future.

According to him, someone ask me today, did Nigeria disappoint me after training? And I said to him never, I met wonderful people who are committed to the development of Teqball, I believe with level of seriousness put in place here, Nigeria can be the best Teqball Nation soon.

“All they need to do is to organize and participate in a time-to-time local, National and international tournaments, this enable the country to assemble the best player and compete in the world any time any day.”

In his remark, the President, Nigeria Teqball Federation, NIGTEQ, Engr Habu Gumel expressed: “I am happy to say that Teqball is progressing. It’s a new game in Nigeria and I am happy to says it’s been recognized by Nigerian Olympic Committee.

“Within a few period of time international Teqball sent 56 tables which was judiciously distributed to states and we applied for instructors for capacity building which we have done today, they have trained a lot of coaches and referees and we have charged them to go out to their various state for Teqball development.

“The Teqball federation board is going to meet and put in place the programme for the year, we are not going to involves international championship because we are new but by the year 2022 Nigeria will start participating in international competition and for this year it’s going to be national championship

“For now our intention is to have recognition of ministry because we are all over the states before the next National Sports Festival NSF, we are going to apply and if we are lucky at National Council of Sports Teqball may be accepted for NSF either through demonstration or participation and we shall leave no stone unturned to ensure we secure that recognition and approval.” He said.

In his addressed the Hungarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Sandor Beer, said the embassy is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure development of sports in Nigeria saying that, the relationship with Nigerian government has grown even stronger

“we also, have others plan, we are going to start Chess, Table-Tennis tourney soon.”

While giving votes of thanks, the General Secretary of the federation, Mr Ndudi Edede thanked Hungarian Embassy for their effort toward teqball development in Nigeria saying that the capacity training would help in the growth of the game in the country noting that subsequent trainings will be organised within the year.

Although 31 participants took part in the training 25 passed as Referees while 26 passed as coaches. That means most of the participants passed both coaching and refereeing exams however, they are expected to major in one. This is because one cannot be a coach and a referee in same sports.

While five failed the exams and we’re not issued certificate

Teqball is a ball sport that is played on a curved table, combining elements of football and table tennis . Back and forth, the players hit a football with any part of the body except arms and hands.

Teqball was first introduced in Nigeria by the Hungarian Embassy in 2018 but gained official recognition on January 2021 when the National Olympic Committee, NOC granted approval for the establishment of Nigeria Teqball Federation, NIGTEQ

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Sports

A Triumphant Close to the 22nd National Sports Festival

Published

4 days ago

May 29, 2025

The Gleamer

…As organisers promise another spectacle at closing ceremony on Thursday

Joel Ajayi

After 11 days of a true showcase of sporting competition in multiple Sports by some of the country’s top and even promising athletes, the curtain will finally be drawn on what many have described as one of the best ever organised National Sports festivals, when the closing ceremony is held on Thursday at the MKO Sports Arena in Abeokuta.

Whilst the quality of the Games’ opening ceremony is still getting tongues wagging, the entire sporting family and beyond is now anxiously looking forward to what the closing ceremony will look like.

The last 11 days have showcased Ogun state as a true Sporting hub with potential to even do more, with the quality of the facilities built for the games and the enthusiasm of the people who made the various venues their second home in the last few days.

A big testament to this was the history-making crowd that attended the male football final between Ogun state and Kwara State, which the host won by 4-1.

The MKO stadium was filled to full capacity while the crowd outside watching from the big screen reminds one of how much Sports is truly the soul of our togetherness as a country.

From the Alake Sports centre in Ijeja and the Baptist boys high school, to the Obafemi Awolowo square and the Remo stadium both in Ikenne, to the NYSC orientation camp in Shagamu, and the Ilisan town hall in Ilisan, the festival never lacked spectatorship throughout the games.

The Games actually lived up to the pre-tournament hype as both the National Sports Commission, NSC and the Ogun state Government pulled out every administrative capacity to ensure both athletes, officials and the media have an unforgettable experience.

The Gateway Games 2024 had been full of exciting drama and intrigues amongst the states and athletes which led to different new records being set and some old records being shattered.

The festival has also produced for the country some new exciting young talents especially with the shocking performance of the 38th state, the Invited Junior Athletes ( IJA), where they ended up winning some surprised medals to justify the Commission’s establishment of the initiative.

As the Closing ceremony holds on Thursday, the leadership of the National Sports commission, NSC, expresses its profound gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State Government for making sure millions of Nigerian youths see a renewed brighter future in the country through the National Sports Festival.
The NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dilko said ” our overwhelming gratitude goes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR, for his personal commitment to the development of Nigerian Sports by giving us every support financially and otherwise for the success of this festival”.

” And the Ogun state Governor, Dapo Abiodun also deserves a huge praise for the feat we all recorded with these games. I can’t thank him enough and posterity will surely remember him for good “.

The NSC Director General who is also the Chairman of the Main organising committee of the games, Hon Bukola Olopade also extended his gratitude to all the technocrats behind the scene that are responsible for the successful organisation of the games.

” From all the members of the Main organising committee to the various sub committees, to members of the local organising committees and all our technical officials in the various sports to the media and our athletes, every success that everyone is talking about concerning these Games belongs to you all”.

” Yes it was not a perfect festival because we acknowledged we had also some challenges but let me assure everyone that some of the challenges are already being worked upon ahead of the next Games holding in Enugu state next year”, he concluded.

The Closing ceremony is expected to bring together top Government functionaries to captain of industries while there will also be the rich cultural display of the state as Ogun state will officially pass the barton of hosting to Enugu state for the 23rd edition of the Games come September 2026.

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