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India, Brazil, Peru, Rwanda, register for First Abia Para Badminton International Badminton, All-Africa Para Badminton Championships 2025. – 224 players to compete , India, Nigeria lead with 58 and 54 players.

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11 months ago

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In 18 days time ( 30 September 2025), over 224 players from twenty ( 20 ) African and non African countries will be Umuahia, Abia State Capital to participate in two Badminton championships to be held at the International Conference Center ( ICC) Badminton ground.

The two championships are, the First Abia Para Badminton International Championships 2025 and the All Africa Para Badminton Championships which are to hold from September 30 to 5 October, and from 6th October to 12th, respectfully.

India and Nigeria are leading in the number of players/competers with 58 and 54 respectively, in the two championships being organized by the Badminton Federation of Nigeria ( BFN ), and the Abia State Badminton Association ( ASBA ) , in collaboration with the Abia State Government and it’s Ministry of Sports, as part of the state governor, Dr Alex Otti’s drives to further advance Abia as an emerging global sports destination, in addition to setting new benchmark for para sports hosting in Nigeria and Africa.

The Abia state Deputy Governor ( DG ) Chief Ikechukwu Emetu, who is Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee ( MOC ), said that the two Championships were sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation ( BWF) and the All-African Para Badminton Championships.

He spoke yesterday during the ”Media And Marketing Reveal and Interactive Luncheon for the two championships” held at the ICC, lauding the state governor Dr Alex Otti’s vision and positive disposition to sports, disclosing that the governor due to his unwavering support, approved the state Hosting rights without hesitation, when their hosting rights were granted.

While commending governor Otti for prioritizing inclusiveness development and youth empowerment through sports.
DG Emetu said “this Initiative reflects our belief that talent knows no physical limitation, every athlete deserves the chance to compete, aspire to excel on the global stage,”.

According to the deputy governor, the economic and social benefits of hosting the tournaments, included fostering increased activity in the hospitality, tourism, and transport sectors, and inspiring Abia youths hence , he urged the public, government institutions, potential sponsors, and the media to do the needfuls.

The DG also commended the Badminton World Federation ( BWF ) and Badminton Confederation Africa ( BCA) for granting Abia the Hosting Rights stating that their confidence on the State, their technical guidance and commitment to the growth of Para Badminton in Africa, have elevated the championships profiles, and positioned the state firmly in the global sports map.

The state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Nwaobilor Ananaba, said ” the state government provided substantial funding to ensure world-class delivery, effected the renovation of our competition venue to international standards, approved purchase of a specialized Mobility Bus for wheelchair – bound athletes to enhance their transportation and accessibility during competitions, and thus demonstrated that inclusion must be practical, not just theoretical.

He added that the governor procured cutting-edge Para Badminton equipment, describing it as the first of it’s kind in Africa, and by so doing ” set a new benchmark for sports development on the African continent”.

National President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Mr Francis Orbih, who spoke via Zoom, acknowledged and lauded Governor Otti’s huge support and commitment to sports development, particularly para-badminton.

Assuring that the country’s governing body would provide full support for the successful organisation of the championships, Orbih recalled that Governor Otti had sponsored the State’s contingent to the World Para-Badminton Championship.

BFN Second Vice President, and National Coordinator of the Championships, Mr Ekeoma Samuel, said in his speech that they , are fully prepared to host the first-ever Para-Badminton Games in Umuahia.

“This sporting event will be the first of its kind to be hosted in the State. We have secured the hosting rights from both international governing bodies, the Badminton World Federation and the Badminton Confederation of Africa”.

He thanked Governor Otti for his support and keen interest in sports development, especially paralympics, games, asserting that his doing so, has enabled the State to host various sporting events.

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SPORTS

Second Abia Governor’s Secondary Schools Unity Games kicks off

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11 months ago

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August 8, 2025

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Eleven days after the six day 5th National Open Para Badminton Championship Competition ended on 18 July, 2025 at Umuahia, the Abia state capital, about 1,017 participants drawn from secondary schools across the 17 state Councils yesterday 29, July, began a four day ( 29 July to 1st August ) second edition of the Abia State Governor’s Secondary Schools Unity Games holding in Umuahia Township Stadium.

Unlike in the Para Badminton Championship Competition that had
One hundred and twenty (120 ) participants drawn from 16 states in the country, about 1,017 drawn from public and private secondary schools across Abia state are competing in the 28 different sporting events in the Schools Games namely
football, basketball, taekwondo, wrestling, Judo, Athletics, Boxing, Swimming, para-athletics ,volleyball, shooting, among others.

While kicking off the competition, the state governor and Chief Sponsor of the Games, Dr Alex Otti described Sports as one sure way to get all round development adding that investment in youth and sports development is to ensure that all the citizenry are positively impacted.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Caleb Ajagba, the governor further said that Sports provides a slot for youths to show their potentials that would spur them to making global impacts.

He enjoined officials to be fair to all the competitors, and urged the participants to strive to both win and lose honorably

The state Youth and Sports Development Mr Nwobilor Ananabar
had during a press conference ahead of the games, disclosed that the State Governor, Dr Alex Otti re-initiated sporting activities in the state as a platform to hunt and discover Sports Talents, re- awaken the spirit of Unity among the youths at the grassroots, adding that the Competition was designed to ginger, support physical and inter-school Sports activities, as well as encourage students in other areas , besides academic activities.

According to the Commissioner, the Competition had started at local Government levels, where the various Secondary Schools best Teams that emerged are therefrom, are representing their LGAs in this State Competition

Adding that the annual event is also to discover sporting talents in the state, the Commissioner further said that some of the talents discovered during the Games first edition in 2024 thereafter traveled abroad in pursuit of careers in sports.

” Three young athletes discovered during the maiden edition were invited to Hungary, while Barcelona Football Club invited another player and a local coach from Abia state for training and talent recruitment collaboration”.

He noted that many athletes who participated in that first edition, also represented Abia at the recently concluded National Sports Festival, and thus, demonstrated the impact of the state’s investment in grassroots sports development.

“Our goal is to revive school games across the state, so that we can catch them young and nurture them to global standards,”.

Talking on accommodation and feeding of the 1,017 competitors in Umuahia during the four day event, Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry , Dr Cyril Chibuike Nwaigwe, said that the state governor Otti adequately made excellent logistics provision for these throughout the duration of the competition.

The state Director of Sports, Comrade Obioma George, expressed optimism that from this Games second edition, more promising talents, will emerge, adding that it has attracted many Coaches, sports enthusiasts and scouts, including stakeholders who are keen in nurturing the next generation of Abia’s elite athletes.

According to him, many of the Under-15 athletes that represent Nigeria in Algeria, like rising Table Tennis Star, Chinyere Okafor, are from Abia, hence he is optimistic that from this competition that is open to both public and private schools, more Stars will emerge.
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Reported By Gordi Udeajah

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