Badminton
NEW WINNERS EMERGE AT MUTUAL BENEFIT BADMINTON TOURNEY
New stars were thrown up as the curtains fell on the 3rd Mutual Benefits National Badminton Championship.
Kwara State’s combination of Zainab Damilola Alabi and Sofiyat Arinola Obanishola emerged as the women’s double champions ending the previous reign of Ruth Ebere and Augustina Sunday.
In achieving the status of new champions, they contended with the firepower of Africa’s number one women’s player, Dorcas Adesokan who teamed up with Asisat Ogunkanbi to form a potent force for the Ogun State team.
It is not only in the Women’s Doubles that change occurred. The Men’s Singles event brought about the reversal of the 2nd edition’s outcome, where Nigeria and Africa’s Number One player, Anuoluwapo Opeyori defeated his fiercest rival, fellow Lagos state player, Nigeria’s Number two and Africa’s Number three player, Godwin Olufua.
Opeyori thus regained the crown he lost last year when Olofua defeated him.
In the Mixed Doubles, marital prowess reigned supreme as Enejo Abah teamed with his wife, Peace to beat FCT pair of Yunusa Momoh and Ramatu Yakubu to add to their collection of Mixed Doubles gold medals.
Last year the couple beat the FCT duo in the same final event.
The Men’s Doubles Finals saw Nigeria’s and Africa’s Number One Men’s pair of, Anuoluwapo Opeyori and Godwin Olofua of Lagos State win 2-1 over Eneojo Joseph Abah (Rivers) and Isaac Murphy Minaphee (Taraba) to retain the gold won last year in the category.
In the Women’s Singles event, the reigning Queen of African Badminton, Nigeria’s and Africa’s Number One, Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan of Ogun State dispatched Ruth Chinenye Ibere of Katsina State to retain the gold medal she has won from the inception of the tournament.
In his speech at the end of the tournament, the Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, the sponsors of the event, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi congratulated all the athletes in attendance, and the Board of the BFN under the able leadership of Francis Orbih, for it’s “hard work, resilience and consistency.”
The President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, expressed his board’s gratitude and appreciation to the sponsors of the event, especially the Chairman of the Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc for keeping to their word of making the event an annual one.
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has continued its nationwide grassroots development drive with a two-day outreach training held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Organised in collaboration with the Adamawa State Sports Council, the State Ministry of Education, and the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Adamawa chapter, the training took place on 24 and 25 September 2025 at the General Murtala Mohammed College hall.
A total of 20 Physical Education teachers and 80 secondary school students from the Yola area participated in the intensive programme, which aimed to introduce badminton to schools and promote the sport at the grassroots level.
The training was facilitated by a team of five coaches led by George Shitta, who also serves as the Director of Sports at the Taraba State Sports Commission. Participants were taken through the fundamentals of badminton, including grip techniques, footwork, serving, stroke execution, game strategy, and proper warm-up routines.
According to the organisers, the programme was part of the BFN’s ongoing partnership with the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, which has supported similar “Shuttle Time” and “Outreach Badminton Training” sessions across the country over the past three years. These sessions are designed to help teachers and students learn the game together while fostering teamwork, discipline, and social development.
The trainees actively engaged with the coaches — asking questions, sharing experiences, and demonstrating newly acquired skills. At the end of the programme, each participating school received badminton kits, including rackets, shuttlecocks, and nets, to help sustain practice beyond the training.
The Director of the Adamawa State Sports Council, Mr. Daniel Ahmed, graced the event, while the lead facilitator, George Shitta, paid courtesy visits to key education stakeholders — Hajiya Aisha M. Umar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and Birsan Panuel, Executive Secretary of the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
Organisers described the initiative as a model of effective collaboration among sports authorities, education agencies, and development partners — a partnership they hope will continue to enhance both the academic and athletic growth of teachers, coaches, and students in Adamawa State.
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The curtain fell on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday, with host nation Nigeria making the podium and the event earning praise as a model for sports tourism in Africa.
Though global heavyweights dominated the finals, Nigeria’s Obanisola and her partner gave the home crowd reason to cheer by clinching bronze in the Women’s Doubles, ensuring the green and white were represented on the podium.
Elsewhere, India’s S. Lele defended her Women’s Singles crown with a 21-15, 21-17 victory over compatriot Kashyap, while Russia’s neutral duo Alimov and Ogloblin sealed Men’s Doubles gold against UAE’s Ravikrishna and Rimdahoi.
Tournament organizers hailed the event as a resounding success. “The Lagos International Badminton Classics has once again proven that Nigeria is ready to host world-class sporting events,” said Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN). “We are building a brand that showcases Africa’s talent, hospitality, and passion for badminton.”
With $17,500 prize money shared among winners and athletes praising the hospitality of Lagos, the championship reaffirmed Nigeria’s growing profile as a hub for global sports. The 9th edition in 2026 promises an even bigger spectacle.
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Indonesia stamped their authority on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics, turning the Teslim Balogun Stadium into a stage of triumph as they swept multiple gold medals on the final day of action.
From the opening Mixed Doubles clash to the showpiece Men’s Singles final, the Southeast Asian powerhouse asserted its dominance.
The pair of Prasetyo and Munggaren set the tone by defeating India’s Ravat and Maneesha 21-15, 21-17, before P. Shujiwo powered past Japan’s M. Koga 21-15, 21-17 in a pulsating Men’s Singles final.
The Indonesians celebrate in style
The Women’s Doubles final confirmed Indonesia’s superiority, with Meida and Nastine dispatching UAE’s Quathun and Sreejithparol in just 25 minutes (21-18, 21-7), the shortest contest of the evening.
The highlight of the celebrations came as Indonesia’s national anthem echoed repeatedly through the Okoya Thomas Indoor Hall, with Ambassador Bambang Suharto personally presenting the Men’s Singles trophy to Shujiwo — a moment that underscored the national pride attached to the victories.
With three golds and several silver finishes, Indonesia emerged as the undisputed star nation of Africa’s premier badminton competition.
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