Nigeria shines bright as Abeokuta delivers a historic West African Para Games masterpiece

By Maxwell Kumoye, Haruna Mubarak and Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Abeokuta

The maiden West African Para Games may have drawn its curtain, but its thunder will echo across the sub-region for years to come.

The ancient and iconic Rock City of Abeokuta didn’t just host a competition, it staged a celebration of courage, talent, unity, and the unstoppable rise of Para Sports in Africa.

For the ancient city vintage hospitality, it was a triumph on every front:

✓ Booming business

✓ Renewed government support

✓ Heightened media visibility

✓ Facilities humming with new life.

Ten nations came together in a spirited mix of competition and friendship, strengthening bilateral ties while giving athletes the perfect platform to sharpen their blades for future continental and global showdowns, including the Paralympic Games.

And at the heart of it all stood Team Nigeria, rewriting history in blazing colours.

NIGERIA SWEPT THE PODIUM

After six gruelling, enervating, electrifying and equally exciting days, Nigeria stamped its authority as the continent’s Para Sports powerhouse and the medals table tells lthe story loud and clear.

• Nigeria: 59 Gold, 39 Silver, 31 Bronze

• Benin: 4 Gold, 4 Silver, 14 Bronze

• Ghana: 3 Gold, 15 Silver, 21 Bronze

• Cameroon: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

• Côte d'Ivoire: 1 Gold

It was dominance redefined.

The closing day brought more drama as Nigeria’s Amputee Football Team sealed the final gold medal, edging Liberia 1–0 in a gripping finale, a perfect capstone to a story of grit and glory.

Wheelchair Basketball also signed out with Team Nigeria as the supreme leader.

LEADERS APPLAUD A NEW ERA OF PARA SPORTS

National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, hailed the Games as a generational milestone.

“This is history in the making and the over 400 Para athletes are the true heroes of African sports.”

He praised Ogun State for aligning with the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria Sports Economy, emphasising the state’s unwavering commitment to sports development.

NSC Director General, Honourable Bukola Olopade, echoed the sentiment:

“We are proud to be part of Games that have brought greater visibility to Para sports and renewed hope to people living with disabilities.”

He assured that the Commission is prepared to host even more international Para competitions in the future.

President of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, reserved special praise for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the NSC leadership.

“This historic competition wouldn’t have been possible without the visionary leadership of Mallam Shehu Dikko and Honourable Bukola Olopade. They are the best thing that has ever happened to Para sports in Nigeria.”

He also saluted Victor Achakpo and the entire Local Organising Committee for their tireless dedication.

A LEGACY BORN IN ABEOKUTA

The West African Para Games didn't just end, they began a new chapter.

A chapter where Para athletes stand at the centre of national pride. An era where nations collaborate, compete, and celebrate together.

The giant of Africa – Nigeria led from the front, inspired the continent.

Abeokuta hosted the first edition. Nigeria conquered it and Africa as well as the rest of the world will remember it.

Comments

Nigeria backs ANOCA rotation policy as Uganda lands 2031 African Games hosting rights

By Maxwell Kumoye Uganda's emergence as host of the 2031 African Games has been linked to the rotational hosting policy of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), a framework designed to ensure equitable distribution of the continent's biggest multi-sport event among Africa's regions. Investigations have revealed that the East African nation benefited significantly from the policy, which seeks to spread hosting opportunities across the continent rather than concentrating them in a few countries. The decision is also understood to have been aided by Nigeria's withdrawal from the race, leaving Uganda as the sole candidate for the prestigious event. For Nigeria, supporting the rotational arrangement aligns with the country's longstanding contribution to the growth of the African Games movement. The nation has already hosted the continental showpiece twice, first in Lagos in 1973 and again in Abuja in 2003, making it one of only a handful of c...

Glazer family members studying Manchester United stake sale, Bloomberg News reports

Some Glazer family members have been debating whether ‌to sell their stake in Manchester United FC (MANU.N), opens new tab after more than two decades ⁠of ownership, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Several stakeholders in the Glazer family have been studying ‌the ⁠possibility of divesting part or all of their holdings in the English ⁠Premier League football club, according to the report. — Reuters

Protests and last-minute construction work disrupt Mexico City ahead of World Cup

Eight days before Mexico City kicks off the World Cup, mass protests by teachers and retired judges, road closures and last-minute construction work caused chaos in the capital on Wednesday for millions of residents who face long delays and complex rerouting of their daily commutes. On June 11, Mexico City will host the inaugural World Cup match between ‌Mexico and South Africa at Azteca stadium in the capital. With Mexico in the global spotlight, teachers and other groups have staged marches and blocked major avenues. They have said their protests, which are unrelated to the tournament, could intensify unless President Claudia Sheinbaum's government addresses their demands. The CNTE, a dissident wing of the national teachers' union, has threatened mass demonstrations at the opening of the World Cup in official statements shared on social media. The union is demanding the government fulfill a campaign pledge to repeal a 2007 law that overhauled the pension and ⁠social securit...

Iran to play World Cup warm-up behind closed doors, head to Mexico on Saturday

Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkey on Thursday before departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday, the Iranian FA (FFIRI) said on Wednesday. Although it was one of the first teams to ‌qualify, Iran's participation in the World Cup has been in doubt since the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February. The squad have played three friendlies in two training camps in Antalya since the start of the war - losing to Nigeria and beating Costa Rica and Gambia - and on Thursday will face Mali ⁠in the Turkish sea resort. "Considering the importance of the Iranian national football team's friendly match against Mali, and in line with the tactical objectives of Iran's head coach, tomorrow's match against Mali will be held behind closed doors and without media attendance," FFIRI said in a statement. The FFIRI persuaded FIFA to allow the team to swap its tournament base from Tucson, A...

Z-PRO MEDIA

Search This Blog