Badminton
Finally, Badminton Federation of Nigeria gets airborne
The board of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has now attained a cruising altitude after some turbulences that prevented it from taking off last October when it was initially scheduled to be inaugurated along with the other national sports Federations.
The initial problem occasioned by litigations came to an abrupt end last month leading to reconciliation and consolidation of interests and programmes. The board has since had an inaugural meeting in which their 2022 calendar was rolled out.
The BFN president, Francis Orbih urged all to sheath their sword as reconciliation of aggrieve parties has taken place.
The board was further strengthened with the drafting of co-opted members such as Yahaya Faruk, Sam Addingi and Gabriel Gbayan.
Also, a suspended player, Abdulfatai Salaudeen who hitherto headed the Players’ Association was pardoned following the acceptance of a letter of apology from him.
His suspension as well as that of the other executive members of the Players’ Association was lifted. At the inaugural meeting of the BFN, existing subcommittees were reconstituted while some new ones were created.
The Women Development Committee, Welfare Committee and Ethics and Disciplinary Committee were the newly created arms of BFN.
According to the president, the Women Development Committee was created to provide solutions to the dearth of women players and administrators as well as to encourage more participation of the feminine gender in badminton.
The committee is to also assist in discovering and developing female players for better performance. Another addition to the arm of government is the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee which is saddled with the responsibility of instilling discipline among players and officials as well as the review of the existing Code of Conduct.
The Welfare committee is to cater for the welfare needs of stakeholders especially the players.
The list of the new Committee Chairmen and Chairperson are:
1. Mrs Esther Gidado – Chairperson, Women Development Committee
2. Mr Gabriel Gbayan Chairman, Welfare Committee
3. Mr. Yusuf Lawal Bello
Chairman, Ethics and Disciplinary Committee
The president, Francis Orbih, rolled out the BFN’s programmes and called on all to support it having its core thrust to grassroots sports development, women and disabled persons inclusions as well as expanding the frontiers for national and international participation.
To achieve the objectives, he pointed at the legacy project of a Badminton Complex which has to be given prime attention as the BFN is collaborating with the Chinese partners and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to deliver the project which will be the first of its kind in Africa.
Francis Orbih, president of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, BFN, has remarked that he was very excited at the appointment of Musa Kida as the chairman of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company,.
In a release, the BFN heartily congratulated Kida, who also heads the Nigeria Basketball Federation, the NBBF.
“This appointment is a testament to your exemplary leadership, dedication, and vast experience in both the corporate and sports sectors”, Orbih remarked in a letter to Kida.
” Your commitment to excellence has been evident in your contributions to Nigerian basketball, and we have no doubt that you will bring the same level of passion, integrity, and vision to this critical national assignment.
“As you take on this new role, the Badminton Federation of Nigeria wishes you great success in steering NNPCL towards greater achievements for the benefit of our nation. We look forward to continued collaboration in the advancement of sports and national development. Once again, congratulations!”
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World number 2 player in Para badminton, Eniola Bolaji has solidified her dominance in para-badminton SL3 by winning her second gold medal in two weeks.
This time, she set an African record as the Paralympic bronze medallist triumphed over Turkey’s Halime Yildiz 2-0 (21-7, 21-10) in the women’s final at the Spanish Para Badminton International 2025 in Toledo, Spain, on Sunday.
She began her campaign by defeating India’s Sanjana Kumari 2-0 (21-15, 21-8) in the second round, followed by a 2-0 (21-9, 21-12) win over Turkey’s Halime Yildiz in the third round.
The multiple-time African champion then dispatched Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyba 2-0 (21-16, 21-4) in the semifinal.
An elated President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih praised Eniola Bolaji’s resilience and continued record-breaking achievements in para-badminton.
He highlighted her status as the only African player to win 12 gold medals in all internationals played.
Orbih said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Eniola Bolaji on her incredible achievement of winning her 12th gold medal in as many international tournaments.
“This remarkable feat is a testament to her consistency, resilience, and unwavering dedication to excellence.”
He continued, “Bolaji has not only made Nigeria proud but has also firmly stamped her authority in the world of para-badminton. Her journey continues to inspire many, and we at the Badminton Federation of Nigeria remain committed to supporting her as she reaches even greater heights.”
The Nigeria badminton supremo also expressed excitement about the upcoming All African Para Badminton/Abia international Para badminton Championships this year, which will provide an opportunity to showcase the country’s rich badminton culture. We thank Abia state government for accepting to host these two historic events.
He said, “It gives me joy that the giants of Africa in Para badminton will be hosting an international championship and the African championship in Nigeria. It will give us an avenue to further expose other potential champions to the world.”
Recall that Eniola Bolaji won a gold medal at the 2025 Spanish Para-Badminton International II in Vitoria last week.
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Nigeria’s Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Eniola Bolaji is already on the path to an Olympic medal. She added a gold medal to her growing collection at the 2025 Spanish Para-Badminton International II in Vitoria, making it 11 out of 11 internationals she has played so far.
Her feat at the Paris 2024 ignited the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA) to begin the sensitization of Africans for possible medals at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
She has again proven her mettle! The multiple African champion beat Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyba 2-0 (21-15, 21-15) dominating the women’s singles SL3 final category.
Her path to gold was nothing short of impressive. Her path is littered with the carcasses of defeated highly rated players.
Eniola Bolaji on her path to glory
Bolaji first defeated Brazil’s Kauana Michelson Beckenka of Brazil 2-0 (21-15, 21-2) and then France’s Caroline Bergeron 2-0 (21-7, 21-8) at the group stage before cruising through the quarterfinals, where she beat Australia’s Celine Vinot 2-0 (21-8, 21-12).
In the semifinals, Bolaji showcased her exceptional form with a dominant 2-0 (21-12, 21-6) win over India’s Neeraj, booking her spot in the final.
The performance has highlighted the progress badminton has made in Nigeria in the current dispensation.
It is like singing the old famous song: “Let’s do it again” that was made popular in the 1970s.
Francis Orbih, a self-effacing but hardworking chieftain of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria praised Bolaji’s remarkable achievement, noting that the gold marks her second in just two months.
He expressed confidence in the Federation’s ongoing investment in Paralympic athletes, emphasising continued support for Bolaji and other para badminton players.
He said, “Bolaji’s victory is a testament to her dedication and her rising dominance on the world para badminton stage. This gold is her second in just two months, and it shows that our athletes are capable of competing at the highest level.
“We are committed to investing in Bolaji and all our para badminton players. Their success is a reflection of the hard work and resources we are putting into developing the sport. This victory is just one of many more to come.
“One of our focus as a Federation is to ensure more players qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics”, he added.
He also thanked the National Sports Commission for their timely intervention, which has been crucial in aiding the federation’s growth. The Commission’s support and encouragement spells a new dawn for Sports development in Nigeria.
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