BFN names team for Africa Senior Badminton Championships

Eighteen players have been picked to adorn Nigeria’s jerseys at the All Africa Senior Badminton Championships holding between April 22 and 28 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The contingent, which include nine males and nine females also has three top coaches that will handle the country’s representatives at the elite event according to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN)

The men’s team is made up of the country’s number one, Anuoluwapo Opeyori, while others include Godwin Olofua, Eneojo Abah Clement Krobakpo, Habeeb Bello, Aliyu Shehu Gideon Babalola, Kayode Mope and Isaac Minaphee.

In the women’s squad are Dorcas Adesokan, Deborah Ukeh, Peace Orji, Chinenye Ibere, Amin Christopher, Sofiat Obanisola, Ramatu Yakubu, Zainab Alabi And Augustina Sunday.

The coaching crew comprises the Head Coach, Benjamin Orakpo, and two assistants, George Shitta – and Susan Udeh Agboola.

Already, 18 countries that include Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Congo, Congo DRC, Eritrea, Egypt Ghana and Ivory Coast have registered for the showpiece event, which will see the best male and female Badminton players on the continent compete for glory.

Others countries are Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and host Nigeria.

The mascot for the championship won by Brisby Christopher Egbonyi, a fresh graduate from the University of Port Harcourt will be presented with the prize money of N100,000 during the championship.

At the unveiling of Alabo the Shutter at the weekend, the Commissioner of Sports, Boma Iyaye, who represented the Governor Nyesom Wike, applauded BFN for highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the Rivers people.

He reiterated the commitment of Governor Wike to ensure that the event was a huge success, while appealing to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports to back Rivers State in hosting other sporting events.