President of the Nigeria Netball Federation, Dr. (Mrs.) Esther Oluwatoyin Aluko, said the Green Hawks won’t be at the World Cup qualifiers slated for Nairobi to make up the numbers.

Speaking at Monday’s unveiling ceremony, Aluko charged the pioneering Green Hawks to wear Nigeria’s colours with pride, courage, discipline and unity, stressing that they would be representing not only themselves but also a new generation of Nigerian girls who now have a national team to aspire to.

She also called on corporate organisations, development partners, the media and the wider sporting community to support the Federation in its efforts to build a sustainable future for netball in Nigeria.

“We do not merely want to participate internationally. We want Nigeria to compete. We want Nigeria to be respected. And we want Nigeria to become a force to be reckoned with in African and global netball,” she declared.

“Nigeria is here. Nigeria is ready. Nigeria is playing netball. And we are determined to take Nigerian netball from the grassroots to the podium,” she added.

Aluko also described the nationl team unveiling as the fulfilment of a long-held ambition to provide Nigerian netball players with a pathway from grassroots participation to the international stage.

“This is not simply the unveiling of a team. It is the beginning of a new chapter in Nigerian sports,” Aluko said.

She described the players selected for the historic team as pioneers, saying their names would forever be associated with the beginning of Nigeria’s journey in international netball.

“The birth of our first national team represents the dreams of thousands of Nigerian girls and women who have played netball without ever imagining that one day they could wear the national colours and represent Nigeria on the world stage,” she said.

Aluko also praised the leadership of the National Sports Commission, saying its renewed direction had provided emerging sports such as netball with opportunities to develop and contribute to Nigeria’s international sporting ambitions.

The NNF President said paramount before the board is to take netball “from the grassroots to the podium” by developing the sport in schools, tertiary institutions, communities, states, military and paramilitary institutions while producing more players, coaches, umpires and technical officials.

Nigeria’s immediate attention, however, turns to Nairobi.

The Green Hawks are drawn in Pool 2 alongside hosts Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia. Nigeria opens against Kenya on September 19 before facing Uganda, Malawi and Zambia in its remaining pool matches.

With two World Cup qualification places available through the African qualifier, Aluko said Nigeria’s ambition goes beyond simply making up the numbers.