Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, is agog as Nigeria hosts the first Confederation of Africa Canoe Sprint and Para Canoe qualifiers paddle for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the well-manicured canoe lanes of Jabi Lake from Wednesday, November 22 to Saturday, November 25.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday ahead of the event, president Nigeria Rowing, Canoe and Sailing Federation, Admiral Festus Porbeni (retired), expressed Nigeria’s readiness to host the rest of Africa.
“At the last championship in Abuja in July, we demonstrated the capacity to not only host regional but international events. The endorsements by International Canoe Federation President Thomas Konietzko, Confederation of Africa Canoe Chief, Confederation of African Canoeing President Joao Manuel Da Costa Alegre Afonso signposted pragmatic development by the federation over the years,” Porbeni said.
He, however, lamented that the boats which will be used for the tournament are yet to arrive in Abuja as they have been unduly held by officers of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“As I speak to you, our equipments are still been held up at the ports, even though the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs has instructed them to be released to us.
“But somebody felt since Admiral Porbeni is involved, there must be guns in those boats’ and ordered them to be brought down for inspection.
“So, the boats have been laying there in the ports since Friday. Here we are, we have no boats for a tournament expected to start on Wednesday.
“This is despite the fact that the International Canoe Federation chose to give them to us free of charge to use for the tournament,” he said.
In his address, Confederation of Africa Canoe (CAC) president, Joao Manuel Da Costa Alegre Afonso, saluted the resilience of the Nigeria Rowing, Canoe and Sailing Federation.
Speaking through an interpreter, Afonso said the challenges which trailed the championship opener can only make Nigeria better.
Nigeria is renowned for being the best and that is why the best Canoeists in Africa had no objection in signing up to compete in Nigeria for slots at the Paris Olympic Games.
Nigeria and 15 countries, Algeria, Angola, Djibouti, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, São Tomé, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda will participate in the opening ceremony on Wednesday at Section II of Jabi Lake before canoe and kayak events begin on Thursday.
