Badminton
Flight Tickets Up for Grabs for Spectators at Lagos International Badminton Classics
Nigeria’s duo of Tosin Damilola Atolagbe and Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan in the opening round of the Women’s Doubles event.
The final day on Saturday will see a lot of celebrities in attendance. Apart from the esteemed presence of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode who has always graced the previous finals, this year will see celebrities in the entertainment industry attending.
They include Funke Akindele, Desmond Elliot, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Kunle Bamtefa, Sound Sultan, Kunle Afolayan and Olarewaju Ogunmefun, a hip hop artist who is better known by his stage name, Vector tha Viper.
According to the president of Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih who is also the chairman of Lagos State Badminton Association, it attendance of the celebrity is to open a new vista in the international classics by bringing a blend of sports and entertainment. “Call it sportainment if you like”, remarked the Nigerian badminton boss.
On Saturday, the day of the final, a raffle draw will be made for all attendees. At stake are two return tickets to London and Accra, Ghana.
They are offered by Medview Airlines. According to the organizers, each person at the Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall venue of the event will be given a raffle ticket before the draw.
A draw will then be made to determine the two winners. This year’s edition has already seen an increase in the prize money which has risen from a package of $15,000 to $20,000. Orbih remarked that the tournament will keep increasing in significance and attendance and that the next edition will witness new additions to make the classics bigger.
Ahead of the final day, the classics had witnessed upsets. In fact the Day Two had the highest amount of upsets in the four day championship which commenced on Wednesday, at the Molade Okoya indoor sport Hall, Teslim Balogun stadium, Surulere
Following day one’s qualifiers which saw one of Lagos top seed Godwin Olofua knocked out by Isaac Minaphee of Taraba; Enejo Abah of Nigeria was put through his paces as he bowed out of the tournament in the round of thirty two to Ahmed Salah of Egypt, 21-11, 21-16—two straight sets.
Number one seed in the men’s category, Israeli’s Misha Zilberman, made a rather easy progress over Herbert Ebayo of Uganda in two straight sets and further, beat Ghanaian’s Michael Opoku Baah to progress to the quarter finals in the men’s singles.
While Femi Bioku of the Lagos contingent ended his campaign in the hands of second seed, Maddaloni of Italy, current Ivory Coast champion, Anuoluwapo Opeyori looks to be the only light for hosts, Lagos State, after making his way to this year’s quarter final rounds following his triumphant displays over Olamide Adebayo and Habeeb Bello in the round of 32’s and 16’s respectively.
Thurs day’s highest number of upsets came from the women category as the championship’s number one seeded female player, Hadia Hosny of Egypt was dumped out by unseeded Vrushali Gummadi of India in a tight three set encounter—15-21, 21-9, and 21-13.
For total casualties in the female category, the day two set of matches saw four major upsets from top seeds in the category; the likes of second seeded Menna Eltanany of Egypt, Grace Gabriel of Nigeria who is fifth seed, third seeded Egyptian, Doha Hany and Hadia Hosny also of Egypt who is the highest ranked female player in the championship.
For the second time, a Nigerian has been named the recipient of the Africa Women in Badminton Award (AWIBA), as Paralympic bronze medallist Eniola Bolaji is the 2024 winner.
Before then, another Nigerian, Obiageli Solaja, won the 2019 edition, making the country the first to win twice and underlining the growth of badminton in the country.
The award is in recognition of outstanding achievements in badminton. For Bolaji, it is for her outstanding achievements and inspiring journey in para-badminton
The prestigious award was presented during the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA) Annual General Meeting held on Thursday in China.
Receiving the award on her behalf, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, described the recognition as timely and well-deserved.
He commended Bolaji’s dedication and trailblazing accomplishments, noting her impact on the growth of para-badminton in Africa.
“I am extremely proud of Eniola Bolaji. This award reflects the BCA’s recognition of her remarkable progress,” Orbih said.
“As the first African to win a medal in badminton or para-badminton at the Olympics or Paralympics, I believe she is only just beginning to make her mark on the global stage.
“This award will not only motivate Eniola but also inspire a new generation of Nigerian and African para-badminton players. It shows that their efforts are being noticed and celebrated.”
Orbih also extended his appreciation to the new leadership of the National Sports Commission, led by Shehu Dikko, for the way they have continuously demonstrated that there is a breath of fresh air in sports in Nigeria.
Looking ahead, Orbih highlighted Nigeria’s readiness to host two international para-badminton championships in Abia State this September/October.
“We are looking forward to delivering world-class events. This is an exciting moment for Nigerian badminton, and we intend to set a new benchmark,” he added.
Previous AWIBA Winners:
• 2018 – Gretha Prinsloo (South Africa)
• 2019 – Obiageli Solaja (Nigeria)
• 2020 – Hadia Hosny (Egypt)
• 2021 – Lynn Du Preez (Namibia)
• 2022 – Awatef Ghalloussi (Tunisia)
• 2023 – Harriet Semugabi (Uganda)
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Francis Orbih, president of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, BFN, has remarked that he was very excited at the appointment of Musa Kida as the chairman of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company,.
In a release, the BFN heartily congratulated Kida, who also heads the Nigeria Basketball Federation, the NBBF.
“This appointment is a testament to your exemplary leadership, dedication, and vast experience in both the corporate and sports sectors”, Orbih remarked in a letter to Kida.
” Your commitment to excellence has been evident in your contributions to Nigerian basketball, and we have no doubt that you will bring the same level of passion, integrity, and vision to this critical national assignment.
“As you take on this new role, the Badminton Federation of Nigeria wishes you great success in steering NNPCL towards greater achievements for the benefit of our nation. We look forward to continued collaboration in the advancement of sports and national development. Once again, congratulations!”
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World number 2 player in Para badminton, Eniola Bolaji has solidified her dominance in para-badminton SL3 by winning her second gold medal in two weeks.
This time, she set an African record as the Paralympic bronze medallist triumphed over Turkey’s Halime Yildiz 2-0 (21-7, 21-10) in the women’s final at the Spanish Para Badminton International 2025 in Toledo, Spain, on Sunday.
She began her campaign by defeating India’s Sanjana Kumari 2-0 (21-15, 21-8) in the second round, followed by a 2-0 (21-9, 21-12) win over Turkey’s Halime Yildiz in the third round.
The multiple-time African champion then dispatched Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyba 2-0 (21-16, 21-4) in the semifinal.
An elated President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih praised Eniola Bolaji’s resilience and continued record-breaking achievements in para-badminton.
He highlighted her status as the only African player to win 12 gold medals in all internationals played.
Orbih said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Eniola Bolaji on her incredible achievement of winning her 12th gold medal in as many international tournaments.
“This remarkable feat is a testament to her consistency, resilience, and unwavering dedication to excellence.”
He continued, “Bolaji has not only made Nigeria proud but has also firmly stamped her authority in the world of para-badminton. Her journey continues to inspire many, and we at the Badminton Federation of Nigeria remain committed to supporting her as she reaches even greater heights.”
The Nigeria badminton supremo also expressed excitement about the upcoming All African Para Badminton/Abia international Para badminton Championships this year, which will provide an opportunity to showcase the country’s rich badminton culture. We thank Abia state government for accepting to host these two historic events.
He said, “It gives me joy that the giants of Africa in Para badminton will be hosting an international championship and the African championship in Nigeria. It will give us an avenue to further expose other potential champions to the world.”
Recall that Eniola Bolaji won a gold medal at the 2025 Spanish Para-Badminton International II in Vitoria last week.
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