Sports
NSC DG, Olopade Visits Team Nigeria in Camp Ahead of All-African Senior Badminton Championship
…Says NSC is determined to encourage all Sports Federations
Joel Ajayi
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has revealed that the Commission’s leadership is determined to support and encourage all sports federations to excel.
The 2025 edition of the All-African Senior Badminton Championship is set to take place from February 10th to 16th in Douala, Cameroon. Team Nigeria, consisting of 10 players—5 males and 5 females—will compete in the Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles categories. The men’s team includes Nigeria’s number one player, Anuoluwapo Opeyori.
Olopade visited the team’s camp in Abuja on Wednesday to encourage them and bid the Nigerian Badminton Team farewell ahead of their participation in the championship. He extended a goodwill message from the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, assuring the team of the Commission’s support and encouraging them to make the country proud.
He expressed confidence in the team, urging them to perform at their best. “My message was very clear. I conveyed the message from the chairman of the sports commission, Malam Shehu Dikko, and it was a clear one: we are determined to continue supporting all sports,” Olopade said.
“Moreover, when you look at the development and growth of Nigerian badminton, it is our responsibility, as leaders of the sports commission, to ensure that these athletes are encouraged to keep up the good work they have been doing for the country. They are the defending champions, and I’m not just here to encourage them. I have come to show our love, our support, and to ensure they are ready. They are well taken care of, and the confidence for them to excel is there. It’s all up to them to do well.”
In his remarks, the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbi, stated that the Nigerian team is ready for the championships and that all the players understand the importance of the tournament.
“I’m confident that they will perform very well. We have a lot of potential, and the Director General’s visit to encourage the players will further boost their courage and determination. We are grateful for that.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s badminton star, Anuoluwapo Opeyori, is aiming for a consecutive title at the 2025 All-African Senior Badminton Championship in Douala, Cameroon. Opeyori won the singles event last year and is now targeting another title in Cameroon.
At the previous edition of the tournament in Cairo, Nigeria won one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals.
Sports
NFF President, Lulu, Ogunnowo Receive Gwagwalada Football Merit Award
The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, and the Chief Operating Officer of the Nigerian Nationwide League, Olushola Ogunnowo, have been nominated for the prestigious Gwagwalada Football League Merit Award for their outstanding contributions to grassroots football development in Nigeria.
The announcement was made in Gwagwalada, Abuja, by the Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Gwagwalada Football League, Patrick Ngwaogu. He said the trio was carefully selected based on merit and their long-standing impact on the growth and promotion of grassroots football across the country.
According to Ngwaogu, the awards will be presented on Sunday, 14 December 2025, during the grand finale of the 20th edition of the Gwagwalada Football League. He explained that this year’s ceremony carries special significance, as it marks two decades since the league kicked off in 2005 with just 10 participating teams—now expanded to 26 teams drawn from Gwagwalada and surrounding communities.
“We painstakingly selected the three individuals based on their personal contributions to the development of football at the grassroots level,” Ngwaogu said. “These awards are our own way of commemorating the 20-year journey of the Gwagwalada Football League.”
Meanwhile, preparations are in top gear for the highly anticipated final match, which will see Ejiwumi FC lock horns with Sheikhandam FC. Ejiwumi FC booked their place in the final after edging out Medical Strikers Feeders with a lone goal, while Sheikhandam FC advanced with an emphatic 3–1 victory over NIMMA FC.
The championship decider and award ceremony will take place at the Government Day Secondary School, Gwagwalada, where players, supporters, and football stakeholders are expected to gather for what promises to be a memorable celebration of grassroots football excellence.
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