Badminton
Zuma Club Wins 2nd Kwara Veteran Inter-Club Invitational Championship
The President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria BFN, Francis Orbih has pledged to reposition the game to sustain the interest of the people with the aim of taking it to greater height.
Orbih made the pledge at the weekend at the 2nd Kwara Veterans Inter Clubs Invitational Championship where Zuma Club emerged champions. At the twp-day event, the BFN president said that the sports body would create enabling environment to improve the game among the youths and veterans in Nigeria.
He charged governments to make sporting sector attractive for corporate bodies and private individuals to invest in it.
Orbih stressed the need for adequate maintenance culture of facilities in the country’s stadia to secure the confidence of would-be private investors and corporate bodies.
The BFN President stated that the federation had mapped out strategies to make badminton popular among Nigerians.
He commended the commitment and passion exhibited by members of the seven clubs that participated at the championship.
Orbih also praised the Kwara Stadium Badminton Veteran Club for the smooth organisation of the championship calling on the members to sustain the tempo.
Also speaking, the Kwara State Director of Sports, Tunde Kazeem thanked the veterans for their support imploring them to organise tournament for junior badminton players to rekindle their hope and talents in the game.
The captain of the club, Sambo Magaji thanked all the clubs for exhibiting the spirit of sportsmanship adding that the championship was organised to promote the game and expand friendship and relationship among the participants.
Magaji who congratulated the winners urged the losers to put in more effort pledging that the tournament would be an annual event.
Also speaking at the closing ceremony, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Abdulwahab Oba, who was the chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), said he was happy with the turnout of participants.
He said the Kwara Badminton Veteran Club, will soon map out strategies to see how it can encourage and promote the game among the youth.
Zuma Badminton Club with three gold and three silver medals won the championship, beating Kwara Stadium Veterans Club to the second position. The latter had three gold, two silver and four bronze medals.
Police College Badminton Club, Ikeja came third with one gold, one silver and five bronze medals, with Bida Sports Club in the fourth position with one silver while City Gate Badminton Club, Abuja won three bronze to claim the fifth spot.
Lagos Country Club, Ikeja and Unilorin Badminton Club came joint sixth with one bronze medal each.
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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