Other Sports
Abuja Hosts 2017 National Taekwondo Open
Rising from its inaugural board meeting in Lagos, the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation has picked Abuja as the hosts of the 2017 National Open Championships holding in December.
The meeting was held at the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) board was attended by President, Margaret Elizabeth Binga, the Secretary-General, Taiwo Oriss and seven board members who are Jonathan Nnaji, Patricia Anyanwu, Obumneme Arum, Anthony Anafulu, Sani Lawal, Adewale Adebisi and Chika Chukwumerije.
The eight-hour long meeting had at the top of its agenda, the federation’s constitution draft and the NTF calendar for 2017 & 2018.
The approved NTF calendar signalled the ambitious resolve of the new administration to keep its practitioners engaged.
The headliner event for 2017 will be the Nigeria Open, scheduled to hold from 6 to 9 December this year in Abuja.
It will be organized alongside with a National Referee Course. The tournament will be the first ever taekwondo tournament wholly owned by the federation, with the NTF planning to secure World Taekwondo ranking status for the event in 2018.
Next month, the federation will be taking basic coaching seminars to Maiduguri, Abakaliki and Makurdi. During the trip to Maiduguri, the federation will take the opportunity to visit IDP camps to donate some taekwondo kits and explore the possibility of introducing taekwondo into the IDP camps.
This last initiative is in line with the International Charter recently signed by the Federation with the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation [THF], a critical project of World Taekwondo.
In 2018, the Federation will start its year with a National Trials for the Seniors National Team, with follow-up National tournaments for Kiddies, Cadets and juniors.
In addition, there will be basic coaching and referee courses littered across the country.
For its constitution review, a five-man committee was set up to study the constitution of the International Federation, the constitution template given by the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the code of governance issued by the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, and various other constitutions. The mandate was to come up with a robust constitution draft that will govern the Federation and report back within 14 working days.
Chairman of the Committee is the legal practitioner on the Federation, Obumneme Arum; World Taekwondo and African Taekwondo Union Member, Jonathan Nnaji; three-time Olympian; Chika Chukwumerije and three-time university champion and World Taekwondo Certified Coach, Alhaji Sani Lawal; and the North Central Representative, Anthony Anafulu.
To ensure that the burden of governance is streamlined, the Federation approved fourteen committees, largely mirroring the committees of the International Federation.
The approved committees are: Technical Committee, which has the Games/ Event Management Sub-Committee and Referee Sub-Committee; Athlete’s Committee; Women’s Committee; TV & New Media Committee; Marketing & Sponsorship Committee; Juridical Committee; Taekwondo Tour Events Committee; Para-Taekwondo Committee; Ethics Committee; Youth & Collegiate Committee; Anti-doping & Medical Committee; and Scientific Research & Educational Development Committee.
In one of its most crucial decisions, the Federation board unanimously voted to appoint three-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije, as the Technical Director of the Federation thus laying on the Veteran’s should the difficult task of ensuring the failure of Rio 2016 Olympics does not happen.
Speaking at the end of the meeting, the President who is a two-time African Champion expressed satisfaction at the eight-hour deliberation exercise.
“We are eager to serve and this board meeting was an open book into the intent of this administration to confront and embrace the challenges head long. We will work hard to find and provide solutions that would develop and improve our sport”.
The stage is set for the 3rd National Para Games, Nigeria’s largest and most prestigious para sports event, scheduled to hold from March 26 to April 3, 2026, in Abuja.
For nine days, the nation’s capital will host more than 3,000 athletes representing all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, competing across 15 different sports in what promises to be a vibrant celebration of resilience, excellence and inclusion. Organisers say champions will emerge, records will tumble, and new chapters will be written in Nigeria’s para sports history.
The Games are being organised by the National Sports Commission, which describes the event as a critical platform for talent discovery, national unity and the advancement of para sports development across the country.
Since its inception, the National Para Games has evolved into a cornerstone of Nigeria’s sporting calendar, spotlighting the remarkable abilities of athletes living with disabilities while reinforcing the country’s commitment to inclusive participation in sports.
Officials say the 2026 edition will surpass previous outings in scale, organisation and competitive intensity. With participation confirmed from every state of the federation and the FCT, the Games are expected to reveal the depth of talent spread nationwide and provide a pathway for standout performers to progress to continental and global competitions.
In a significant boost to preparations, the National Youth Service Corps has partnered with the Commission by releasing its Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, to serve as the official Games Village. The facility will accommodate athletes and officials throughout the competition, offering a secure and community-focused environment designed to foster camaraderie and peak performance.
The collaboration reflects a broader inter-agency commitment to empowering young Nigerians and promoting social integration through sport. It also underscores growing national recognition of para athletes as integral contributors to Nigeria’s sporting success.
With anticipation building and logistics nearing completion, Abuja is poised to welcome thousands of competitors and supporters for what promises to be a defining celebration of courage, competition and collective pride.
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By Keresifon Essien
Akwa Ibom State will parade a strong contingent of about 280 athletes and 44 officials at the 2026 Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF), scheduled to hold in Benin City, Edo State, from February 20 to 28.
The State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the Curator of Keresy Sports Museum (KSM), Keresifon Essien, noting that Team Akwa Ibom will compete in 16 sporting events at the regional multi-sports fiesta.
According to Bassey, the sports in which the state will feature include football, basketball, volleyball, handball, table tennis, badminton, lawn tennis, boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, taekwondo, weightlifting, swimming and chess.
To ensure optimal preparation, the state government has constituted a five-man State Liaison Committee to oversee arrangements for the festival. The committee is chaired by the Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey.
Other members of the committee are Coach Catherine Ewa Ekuta, Head of Technical; Guinness World Record holder George Essien; Edidiong Stephen, a member; and Mfon Bassey, who serves as Secretary.
Bassey explained that the committee has been mandated to fine-tune all preparations for the festival, beginning with the state trials scheduled for this weekend, and to ensure that the contingent arrives in Benin City fully prepared and ready to project Akwa Ibom State positively at the Niger Delta Sports Festival.
He expressed confidence that with proper planning and early preparations, Team Akwa Ibom will make a strong impression when the festival proper begins.
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Team Nigeria on Monday afternoon departed the country for Cairo, Egypt, where they will compete in the 2025 World Karate Championship scheduled for November 27–30.
The nation will be represented by five outstanding athletes who have demonstrated exceptional discipline, consistency, and competitive grit in their buildup to the global event. The team is made up of:
- Loveth Ngozi Okoro – Kumite -50kg
- Godfirst Orie Ukoha-Sampson – Kumite -55kg
- Constance Tamunodiepreye Abode – Kumite -61kg
- Ujunwa Caroline Nwankwo – Kumite +68kg
- Oluwaseun Olorunbe – Male Kata
The athletes, who have undergone intense preparations, will be led by coach Efezino Akpotu, while Olusegun Abode serves as the leader of delegation.
Four members of the squad—Ngozi, Godfirst, Constance, and Ujunwa—are already well-known names on the domestic circuit. They are regular contenders at the Zainab Saleh International Female Open Karate Championship, an annual tournament founded by Hajiya Zainab Saleh, a Board Member of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN). The championship has been widely recognised for empowering and developing female karatekas across the country.
Ahead of the team’s participation, the Board of the KFN expressed confidence in the athletes’ ability to deliver strong performances on the world stage.
However, it also appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC) for urgent financial support to offset debts incurred in ensuring Nigeria’s participation in the championship.
According to the federation, the World Karate Championship falls under the mandate of the NSC, and timely intervention is necessary to stabilise the federation’s operations after securing the team’s trip to Cairo.
Team Nigeria will now focus on making a strong impact as they join the world’s best karatekas in Egypt later this week.
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