The Wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu has urged government on the African continent and transnational corporations to see sports as a vehicle that can unify, build bridges and blur national divides.
In a message she sent to the 3rd African International Para-Badminton Workshop holding at the National Stadium Abuja, Mrs. Ikpeazu said sports had proven an effective tool for international diplomacy.
She commended the Badminton Federation of Africa for its choice of Nigeria to host the 5-day workshop and camp and prayed that the outcomes will help expand the frontiers of the game on the continent.
“Para badminton is gradually gaining appeal in our country and sports-lovers like myself will often throw our weight behind it as we seek new ways for our young ones to express their physical talents,” Mrs. Ikpeazu wrote.
“Like every sport, Para-Badminton nurtures unity in diversity and creates a platform for excellence.”
“The unique gains of giving disabled sports prominence is that it fosters a sense of belonging in society and encourage the physically challenged to excel by stimulating competitiveness.”
Mrs. Ikpeazu added that it was the reason why she has tried to support the growth of this game, by hosting two editions of the Nkechi Ikpeazu National Open Para-Badminton Championships in Umuahia and by sponsoring the team to the African and World Para-Badminton Championships in Uganda in 2018.
She invited conglomerates and sports philanthropists to see sports development as a challenge and do their best to keep sports alive in Nigeria.
