The first Abia State Para Badminton international and all African Para Badminton championship 2025, main organizing committee ( MOC), and local organising committee (LOC) have been inaugurated
Members of the main organising committee include the deputy governor , Engr. Ikechukwu
Emetu, who is the Chairman and wife of the governor, Mrs. Prescilia Otti as member.
Other members of the committee include Mr Francis Orbih, President Badminton Federation of Nigeria as Vice Chairman, Ekeoma Samuel – National Coordinator Para Badminton, Hon. Nwaobilor Ananaba, Commissioner for sports and youth Development, Director of Sports Abia State, Abel Sunday – Abia Badminton Association Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Mains BFN Vice President, Mallam Tunde Kazeem BFN Technical director, Salisu Abubakar ( Rep Chairman Sports Commission), Seyi Johnson ( Rep DG Sports Commission), Mr. Sunday Odebode President Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Mrs. Ihuola Okpara – Director National Sports Festival, Mr Ukwachima Raymond, Mr Uche Nwosu, and Mr oludare Davies.
The local organising committee is headed by the wife of the governor, Mrs. prescilia Chioma Otti – Chairperson while the Chief of Staff to the governor, Pst Celeb Ajagba and the Hon commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Nwaobilor Ananaba will serve as members.
Others include Mr. Francis Orbih President Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Abia State Director of Sports,Mr. Obioma George, Abel Sunday, state Badminton Association Chairman, Ekeoma Samuel National Coordinator Para Badminton, Mr. Ekeomca Samuel as Secretary, Kenneth Odanwu, Dr. Eugene Ihuama, member, Mr George Shitta BFN Board member, Mrs. Obiageli Solaja BFN South East Zone Rep, Hon. Sulyman Shehu Warah BFN Board, Amb Yahaya Faruk BFN Board, Mr. Ukwa Chima Raymond, Uche Nwosu, Mallam Tunde Kazeem BFN Technical Director as members.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti represented by his deputy Engr Ikechukwu Emetu restated Abia State determination to dominate in Sports competition especially in Badminton Sports.
Dr Alex Otti, has said that the state has the immense potential to become a powerhouse in Badminton Sport.
He said that with the youth population, growing interest in sports, and the state’s rich culture of excellence and perseverance, Abia has all it takes to be a force to be reckoned with in the Sports.
Dr. Otti, therefore, called for continued support, investment, and collaboration between the state, sports authorities, and the private sector to actualise this.
The governor commended administrators, coaches, volunteers, and visionaries for their untiring efforts to create opportunities for young talents to strive in this fast-paced and elegant game.
He further commended members of the committee, who he noted are not only champions of sports but builders of discipline, unity, and national pride through the game of Badminton.
The Abia Chief Executive urged the Badminton Sports executives not to rest in their oars in the growth, scouting, and nurturing potential of young talents of not only of national repute but in creating safe space for youth engagement, community building and positive lifestyle choices.
Dr Otti while noting that Badminton, promotes physical fitness, mental agility, and social cohesion, advocated for prioritising of grassroots development, training programme for coaches better facilities and more importantly, opportunities for young athletes to compete locally, nationally and internationally.
The governor congratulated Barr Francis Orbih on his recent election into the Council member of Badminton World Federation representing Africa and expressed the hope that he would use his wealth of experience to come to bear on the position.
In his speech, the National President of Badminton Federation, Barr. Francis Orbih said that Abia hosting the competition would place the state as a beacon of sports development and has placed the country and Africa on the international radar of creating platforms for athletes to excel.
Barr Orbih disclosed that Para Badminton started in Abia, and the state had been on the forefront of promoting Para Badminton development in Nigeria which has secured her a place of pride in the federation website.
He thanked the governor for approving the hosting of the competition and commended the governor’s transformational work.
Also speaking, the wife of the governor and member of the committee, Mrs Prescilia Otti represented by the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Vulnerable Persons, Mrs Ngozi Felix appreciated Para Badminton athletes for making the state proud and urged athletes to reciprocate the governor’s gesture in sports development by making the state proud.
In his own speech, the National Coordinator Para Badminton Federation, Mr Ekeoma Samuel thanked the governor for what he has been doing for sports, especially Para Badminton and said that the competition would be first of its kind in West Africa.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Sports, and Youth Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba said that the governor has given sports its pride of place by sponsoring more than seven international events, and Abia has today become a destination point in sports.
Earlier in his remarks, the State Director of Sports, Mr Obioma George said that the present government has done much for sports and assured that they would ensure the success of the competition.
