Badminton
Taraba Badminton holds grassroots training in Jalingo
Taraba Sports Council has held a three day badminton training for game masters, game mistresses, and secondary school students in Jalingo.
The event was held at the indoor sports hall of the Jolly Nyame Stadium.
The training event was geared towards providing secondary school teachers and students access to learn basic skills of the game of badminton, as part of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) goal of promoting grassroots development of badminton in Nigeria.
The training event was organized by Taraba Badminton and powered by CSED (Community Sport and Educational Development) Initiative, as part of their two years’ grassroots development partnership with the BFN.
The Taraba State Director of Sports Council, George Shitta who doubles as a board member of BFN, led six other badminton instructors that taught the students and teachers the theory and practical aspects of badminton.
The training event was attended by 80 students drawn from 18 secondary schools. Twenty-four game masters and game mistresses also attended the training event.
While speaking to sports journalists at the end of the training event, Shitta stated that an event of this nature is aimed at taking badminton to young secondary school students, encourage them to enjoy combining sports with their education, as well as supporting their development into future badminton players that will represent the state and Nigeria.
He gave as example, Jimkan Ephraim an indigene of Taraba State who used to be a former African badminton number 1 player.
Some of the students were happy to learn from the experience of Jimkan Ephraim, who also attended the training event.
Shitta commended the gesture of CSED Initiative for collaborating with Taraba Badminton and for their decision to select Taraba State as one of the states that will in future benefit from its “PROJECT 2027” programme, which is aimed at developing the game of grassroots netball in Nigeria.
Shitta further disclosed that CSED Initiative donated 60 badminton rackets, 18 tubes of shuttlecocks, and 17 nets which were later distributed to the schools that attended the training event.
He promised to complement the gesture of CSED Initiative by organizing an inter-school badminton tournament in future, between the schools that participated in the training event.
In an interview, the Director of Sports, Taraba state ministry for Basic and secondary education, Affos Musa Emmanuel promised to liaise with the Director of Taraba Sports Council, in order to get some coaches to go round the schools that participated in the training event with a view of these coaches providing additional onsite training that will support the teachers and students in the practicing of their new badminton knowledge.
Some of the pupils who participated in the training, Ruth Andoor (13 years old) from Government Technical Training School (GTTS) Jalingo, Emmanuel George Shitta (11 years old) from Destiny Success Academy, and Anna Sylvester Jabire (15 years old) from Raddar Metropolitan School Jalingo, stated that by attending the training, they have gained more knowledge of the game of badminton.
Also Victoria Edoche (13 years old) from Our Lady of Consolation, Telltuly Calib Jibril (13 years old), and Ayaungwa Wisdom (13 years old) from Heritage Academy described the training event as being impactful and they promised to be more committed during their future badminton training.
One of the instructors that trained the students and teachers, Emmanuel Sambo said the training will go a long way in encouraging the young talents to become badminton champions in future.
He urged the Taraba State government to pay attention to the sports sector in order to improve its internally generated revenue. The event ended with the presentation of rackets, tubes of shuttlecocks and nets to the representative of the participating schools.
For the second time, a Nigerian has been named the recipient of the Africa Women in Badminton Award (AWIBA), as Paralympic bronze medallist Eniola Bolaji is the 2024 winner.
Before then, another Nigerian, Obiageli Solaja, won the 2019 edition, making the country the first to win twice and underlining the growth of badminton in the country.
The award is in recognition of outstanding achievements in badminton. For Bolaji, it is for her outstanding achievements and inspiring journey in para-badminton
The prestigious award was presented during the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA) Annual General Meeting held on Thursday in China.
Receiving the award on her behalf, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, described the recognition as timely and well-deserved.
He commended Bolaji’s dedication and trailblazing accomplishments, noting her impact on the growth of para-badminton in Africa.
“I am extremely proud of Eniola Bolaji. This award reflects the BCA’s recognition of her remarkable progress,” Orbih said.
“As the first African to win a medal in badminton or para-badminton at the Olympics or Paralympics, I believe she is only just beginning to make her mark on the global stage.
“This award will not only motivate Eniola but also inspire a new generation of Nigerian and African para-badminton players. It shows that their efforts are being noticed and celebrated.”
Orbih also extended his appreciation to the new leadership of the National Sports Commission, led by Shehu Dikko, for the way they have continuously demonstrated that there is a breath of fresh air in sports in Nigeria.
Looking ahead, Orbih highlighted Nigeria’s readiness to host two international para-badminton championships in Abia State this September/October.
“We are looking forward to delivering world-class events. This is an exciting moment for Nigerian badminton, and we intend to set a new benchmark,” he added.
Previous AWIBA Winners:
• 2018 – Gretha Prinsloo (South Africa)
• 2019 – Obiageli Solaja (Nigeria)
• 2020 – Hadia Hosny (Egypt)
• 2021 – Lynn Du Preez (Namibia)
• 2022 – Awatef Ghalloussi (Tunisia)
• 2023 – Harriet Semugabi (Uganda)
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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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