Badminton
Badminton Federation of Nigeria’s Shuttle Time shuttles to Kwara State
Turn-by-turn it has been as the Global efforts to raise budding badminton players, code-named Shuttle Time has moved to Ilorin in Kwara State.
It was the third in the series of training programme which had seen the event in Ogun State and Anambra State in southern Nigeria.
‘Shuttle Time’, according to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) is a project in which lessons are designed to provide children with a positive image of badminton through many opportunities to have fun, engage with others and experience success.
The event in Nigeria is been organised by the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) in partnership with Community Sport Educational Development (CSED) Initiative.
The Ilorin programme at the Indoor Sports Hall of Kwara State Stadium Complex,involved 25 schools teachers who are games masters/mistresses as well as 100 students drawn from various Secondary Schools across Kwara State.
Addressing the participants, Kwara State Governor and the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq who was represented by Chairman, Kwara State Sports Commission, Bola Mogaji applauded the BFN and the BWF as well as the (CSED) Initiative for the bold steps to develop badminton in Nigeria.
He noted that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of sports called on corporate bodies, organizations and individuals to join hands with the government to take sports to greater heights.
The Governor commended the participants for their conduct, advising them not to derail from their focus.
He reiterated the determination of the state government to always support sports in view of its potential to improve the economy of the athletes, the state and the nation.
Governor AbdulRasaq urged the games masters and mistresses to be good ambassadors of the state and implement the training to the students.
The representative of the Governor later announced the personal donation of N200,000 to stage State Secondary Schools Badminton Championship urging the State Badminton Association to work out the modalities for a hitch free tournament.
The Chairman, Kwara State Badminton Association, Suleiman Warah, advised the participants to embrace badminton, describing it as a lovely game and the students can make career out of it while pursuing their academic programme.
Warah stated that the association would not relent in contributing its quota to the development of Badminton.
The Technical Director, BFN, Coach Tunde Kazeem charged the participants to spread the message to the grassroots which is the essence of the training.
He disclosed the intention of the body to organise badminton championship among secondary schools in the state.
National Coordinator Shuttle Time Nigeria, Coach Tajudeen Suleiman, said 28 teachers, and 102 students from 28 schools attended the two day programme that featured tips on how to raise beginners in badminton using Shuttle Time resources.
Chairman, Association of School Sports Officers, Suleiman Yusuf Ademola, appreciated the WBF, BFN and their partners for the opportunity promising to go the extra mile to ensure the development of Badminton at the grassroots.
Also in their comments, some of the games masters, Shorun Esther Iyiola from Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin and Suleiman Yusuf from Madi Community secondary schools, Ilorin and the students, Taiye Onimago, Lukman Ishaq from Odo-Okun Secondary School, Rodiat Yunus and Salimat Abdulwasiu Yuslat College, Ilorin, expressed hope to improve the game of Badminton as they have gained some knowledge in the course of the training.
At the end of the two-day course, certificates were awarded to the participants by BWF and
100 rackets, 25 tubes of shuttle corks and 25 nets were given to the participating schools to ensure the take-off of badminton in the schools.
The Shuttle Time train moves to Zaria in Kaduna State later this month.
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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