Adesokan, Opeyori win Mutual Benefits National Badminton Championship

Africa’s number one star, Ajoke Adesokan maintained her stranglehold on the country’s women badminton when she won the singles title at the Mutual Benefits National Championship held at the Mutual Benefit/Police College Badminton Complex in the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.

Adesokan of Ogun State, who has held the title from the tournament’s inception, beat Ruth Chinenye Ibere of Katsina State in the final.

But she was not so lucky in the women’s doubles, which produced a brand new set of winners in Kwara State’s duo of Zainab Damilola Alabi and Sofiyat Arinola Obanishola. They outclassed Ogun State’s pair of Adesokan and Asisat Ogunkanbi to take home the gold medal.

The mixed doubles event further confirmed the ratings of Nigeria’s current number one ranked pair and real-life married couple Eneojo Joseph Abah and wife, Peace, who pipped FCT’s pair of Yunusa Momoh and Ramatu Yakubu 2-0 to add to their collection of Mixed Doubles gold medals.

The men’s singles event saw a reversal in outcomes from last year’s second edition, as Nigeria and Africa’s number one ranked male singles player, Anuoluwapo Opeyori defeated his fiercest rival and fellow Lagosian, Godwin Olufua, who’s ranked number two in Nigeria and three in Africa.

The men’s doubles finals saw Opeyori and Olofua defeat Eneojo Joseph Abah (Rivers) and Isaac Murphy Minaphee (Taraba) 2-1 to retain their gold from last year.

Speaking at the event, the chairman of the company, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, said the Mutual Benefits National Badminton Championship has become a yearly event, adding, “Over the years, youth empowerment through the development of sports has been a key focus of Mutual Benefits’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. Therefore, the yearly Mutual Benefits National Badminton Championship has become a veritable platform for young talented players to develop and showcase their talents, receive exposure and get mentorship.”