Badminton
Francis Orbih’s Badminton Board Gets Winning Start
BY CHINWE EDOGA.
An unranked Nigeria’s Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori has won this year’s Men’s singles event of the Ivory Coast International Badminton Tournament which ended in Abidjan on Sunday.
He was the best among 65 players from 11 countries across the world.
The allure of Nigeria’s performance was that there were three Nigerians among the four on the podium for the Men’s singles title. Not just that it was almost a clean sweep by Nigeria in the Mixed Doubles Event.
The pair of Enejoh Abah and Peace Orji defeated another Nigerian pair of Gideon Babalola and Uchechukwu Ukeh 21-18; 21-18 thus making Nigeria to win gold and silver medals.
Another Nigerian pair of Jafar Salih Umar and Zainab Momoh won the bronze medal along with Ghana’s Emmanuel Yaw Donkor and Stella Kote Amasah.
In all, the Nigerian contingent won two gold, two silver and four bronze medals.
In the Men’s Singles title, Nigeria’s Opeyori beat Jordanian Bahaedeen Ahmad Alshannik 21-18; 21-16 in the keenly contested final duel to give the Francis Orbih’s board of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), a winning start.
When it was becoming a near impossibility for Nigeria to send a team, Francis Orbih, the BFN president-elect had to swing into action and successfully got sponsorship package from the Lagos State Government to send a 25-man Nigerian team to the tournament.
An elated Orbih told Sports Village Square that he could not wait to be sworn in before swinging into action as he had promised to raise the standard of badminton during his tenure.
He along with his board members and the boards of other sports federations will be sworn in next week Monday in Abuja.
“I am really grateful to Governor Ambode for his magnanimity in sponsoring the team despite a very short notice given to him.
“Little wonder, things are working in Lagos as an action man is at the helms.
“I am sure, he will be very glad that his efforts have not been in vain”, remarked Orbih.
He told the Sports Village Square, that he would not have allowed vacuum to occur by waiting to be sworn in before ensuring the attendance of a Nigerian team in an international tournament that will not only give them good exposure, but also help in the overall ranking of Nigerian players.
He concluded that it would have amounted to big disservice, if he had failed to facilitate the performance of the Nigerian team in Abidjan. The team will move to Benin Republic to begin another campaign for honours on Wednesday.
He was particularly elated at the success of Anuoluwapo Opeyori, a player he personally discovered as the chairman of Lagos State Badminton Association.
“Our participation in the West Africa Badminton Circuit was preceded by a three-week closed camp for the 27 Nigerian players made up of nine female and 18 male players.
“We can see what camping does to players, instead of merely calling them up for trips to tournaments’, said Orbih.
On his way to glory, Opeyori beat Ghana’s Abraham Ayittey 22-20; 21-19 before having to face a Nigerian, Habeeb Temitope Bello in the next round. He won 21-19; 21-16.
His most challenging game was against Nigeria’s Gideon Babalola, pointing out the great strength of the Nigerian team. It was perhaps, Opeyori’s toughest match. He lost the first game 15-21 and was leading the second 6-3 before Babalola scratched owing to injury.
He then moved on to dispatch Ghana’s Daniel Sam 27-25; 21-11 to move to the final.
Opeyori was not the only successful Nigerian at the tournament. The duo of Clement Krobakpo and Gideon Babalola are joint third place winners in the men’s singles event. In badminton, the two semi final losers are automatic third place winners.
In the women’s singles, Nigeria’s Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan, ranked 296 in the world, was a third place winner with Egypt’s Hadia Hosny who is number 87 in the world.
In women’s doubles, the Nigerian duo of Zainab Momoh and Peace Orji were final losers to India’s Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker. The score lines were 21-11; 21-14 in favour of the Indians. Nigeria however won the silver while another Nigerian pair of Patricia Apusugh and Amin Yop Christopher won the bronze medal.
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has continued its nationwide grassroots development drive with a two-day outreach training held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Organised in collaboration with the Adamawa State Sports Council, the State Ministry of Education, and the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Adamawa chapter, the training took place on 24 and 25 September 2025 at the General Murtala Mohammed College hall.
A total of 20 Physical Education teachers and 80 secondary school students from the Yola area participated in the intensive programme, which aimed to introduce badminton to schools and promote the sport at the grassroots level.
The training was facilitated by a team of five coaches led by George Shitta, who also serves as the Director of Sports at the Taraba State Sports Commission. Participants were taken through the fundamentals of badminton, including grip techniques, footwork, serving, stroke execution, game strategy, and proper warm-up routines.
According to the organisers, the programme was part of the BFN’s ongoing partnership with the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, which has supported similar “Shuttle Time” and “Outreach Badminton Training” sessions across the country over the past three years. These sessions are designed to help teachers and students learn the game together while fostering teamwork, discipline, and social development.
The trainees actively engaged with the coaches — asking questions, sharing experiences, and demonstrating newly acquired skills. At the end of the programme, each participating school received badminton kits, including rackets, shuttlecocks, and nets, to help sustain practice beyond the training.
The Director of the Adamawa State Sports Council, Mr. Daniel Ahmed, graced the event, while the lead facilitator, George Shitta, paid courtesy visits to key education stakeholders — Hajiya Aisha M. Umar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and Birsan Panuel, Executive Secretary of the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
Organisers described the initiative as a model of effective collaboration among sports authorities, education agencies, and development partners — a partnership they hope will continue to enhance both the academic and athletic growth of teachers, coaches, and students in Adamawa State.
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The curtain fell on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday, with host nation Nigeria making the podium and the event earning praise as a model for sports tourism in Africa.
Though global heavyweights dominated the finals, Nigeria’s Obanisola and her partner gave the home crowd reason to cheer by clinching bronze in the Women’s Doubles, ensuring the green and white were represented on the podium.
Elsewhere, India’s S. Lele defended her Women’s Singles crown with a 21-15, 21-17 victory over compatriot Kashyap, while Russia’s neutral duo Alimov and Ogloblin sealed Men’s Doubles gold against UAE’s Ravikrishna and Rimdahoi.
Tournament organizers hailed the event as a resounding success. “The Lagos International Badminton Classics has once again proven that Nigeria is ready to host world-class sporting events,” said Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN). “We are building a brand that showcases Africa’s talent, hospitality, and passion for badminton.”
With $17,500 prize money shared among winners and athletes praising the hospitality of Lagos, the championship reaffirmed Nigeria’s growing profile as a hub for global sports. The 9th edition in 2026 promises an even bigger spectacle.
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Indonesia stamped their authority on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics, turning the Teslim Balogun Stadium into a stage of triumph as they swept multiple gold medals on the final day of action.
From the opening Mixed Doubles clash to the showpiece Men’s Singles final, the Southeast Asian powerhouse asserted its dominance.
The pair of Prasetyo and Munggaren set the tone by defeating India’s Ravat and Maneesha 21-15, 21-17, before P. Shujiwo powered past Japan’s M. Koga 21-15, 21-17 in a pulsating Men’s Singles final.
The Indonesians celebrate in style
The Women’s Doubles final confirmed Indonesia’s superiority, with Meida and Nastine dispatching UAE’s Quathun and Sreejithparol in just 25 minutes (21-18, 21-7), the shortest contest of the evening.
The highlight of the celebrations came as Indonesia’s national anthem echoed repeatedly through the Okoya Thomas Indoor Hall, with Ambassador Bambang Suharto personally presenting the Men’s Singles trophy to Shujiwo — a moment that underscored the national pride attached to the victories.
With three golds and several silver finishes, Indonesia emerged as the undisputed star nation of Africa’s premier badminton competition.
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