In a significant achievement for Nigeria and continental para sports leadership, two Nigerians have been elected to key positions on the Board of the Africa Paralympic Committee (AfPC).
The Nigerians were elected on Sunday during AfPC’s General Assembly in Accra, Ghana.
At the event, Mr. Sunday Odebode was re-elected as President of West Africa while Mr. Suleiman Isah secured the role of new Treasurer of the Africa Paralympic Committee.
The election, which assembled delegates from across the continent, underscored Nigeria’s growing influence and leadership within the African Paralympic movement, with the country having been an integral part of the AfPC for thirty-eight years.
In his remarks, Odebode expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by member countries of the West African region.
He committed to furthering the inclusivity and development of para sports across West Africa and the continent.
Similarly, Isah thanked the assembly for their confidence in him, promising to uphold transparency and accountability in managing the Committee’s financial affairs.
The Africa Paralympic Committee serves as the umbrella organisation responsible for overseeing Paralympic activities across the continent, collaborating with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to promote sports participation among individuals with disabilities.
The election of the two Nigerians has been widely celebrated, reflecting the country’s commitment and consistent contributions to the development of para sports in Africa.
LDirector-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, described this achievement as yet another international milestone for Nigerian sports, emphasising the supportive environment the Sports Commission is fostering for athletes and administrators to excel on the global stage.
“I must commend Sunday Odebode for his re-election as President of the West Africa Paralympic Committee; it confirms that he has been doing an excellent job of promoting and developing para sports in the West African sub-region,” Olopade stated.
He also praised Isah for his election as the new Treasurer of the AfPC and urged both him and Odebode to utilise their new positions to further promote Nigerian sports on the continent, as well as collaborate with the NSC to advance the renewed hope agenda for Nigerian sports, as mandated by President Bola Tinubu.
The statement which was made available to journalists on Monday by the Special Assistant on Media to DG of the National Sports Commission, Kola Daniel, added that the election reaffirmed Nigeria’s fast growing influence and leadership within the African Paralympic family.
