The capital city of Rivers State, Port Harcourt will come alive in April when the Garden City hosts the All Africa Senior Badminton Championship.
Disclosing this during, President of the Nigeria Badminton Federation, Mr Francis Orbih, said “the championship, which is the flagship badminton event in Africa, is like the Africa Cup of Nations in football”.
“For the first time in 19 years, Nigeria will be hosting the All Africa Senior Badminton Championship in Port Harcourt from April 22nd to 28th. We hosted it last in year 2000 in Bauchi.
“The championship is the flagship badminton event in Africa which is like the Africa Cup of Nations in football.
“Last year we put in a bid for it and we won. One of the good things about this championship this year is that it has been given the status of an Olympics qualifier.
“For those who will participate and whatever points they garner would be put towards qualification for the Olympics. We are putting in everything to host and win,” he said.
Orbih further urged the FRSC boss who was represented by Corps Commander, Charles Aborchi to continue to partner with the federation by employing more badminton players in to the agency.
He revealed that certain players who made the nation proud were from the agency.
“We have some of our great players come from the Road Safety Corps. Ibrahim Adamu popularly called Abass in the badminton family is one of your great ambassadors, a shining light all the younger ones look up to.
“We also have Gideon Babalola who is one of the best badminton players in the country.
What we emphasise on our players is that today, you are playing badminton but there is life after badminton. And the foundation to the life is education and a source of livelihood.
