Joel Ajayi
The newly elected President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) and Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has charged Team Nigeria’s wrestlers to uphold integrity, discipline, and excellence as they prepare to represent the country at the upcoming Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia.
During his visit to the team’s camp Saturday at Package B of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, Dr. Adeniyi encouraged the athletes to “soar high, compete clean, and make Nigeria proud both on and off the mat.”
He emphasized that discipline remains the foundation of true success, both in sports and life, warning against doping and other unethical practices that could damage Nigeria’s image.
“We do not want to achieve glory through foul means,” he said. “I would prefer a disciplined athlete to an undisciplined winner. Go out there, do it clean, and win clean.”
As part of his first official assignment since assuming office as NWF President, Dr. Adeniyi also donated a brand-new bus to the Federation to ease the movement and logistics of athletes. He explained that the gesture was inspired by a tragic accident involving the wrestling team last year while returning from a tournament in Bayelsa, which claimed lives and left their vehicle completely damaged.
“Since that incident, I made up my mind to replace the vehicle to ease the federation’s transportation challenges,” he noted. “This bus is a token of our appreciation and support for the hard work and sacrifices of our athletes.”
Adeniyi commended the dedication of the national coaches and the enthusiasm of the wrestlers, expressing confidence in their readiness for the Games. He also highlighted the emergence of a new generation of young, talented wrestlers ready to build on the success of champions like Blessing Oborududu, Mercy Genesis, and Odunayo Adekuoroye.
He pledged that the new NWF leadership would be bold and intentional in improving athletes’ welfare and creating opportunities for growth beyond their competitive careers.
“We will take full responsibility for their development and future,” he said. “Our goal is to help them transition into other areas of the sport — coaching, officiating, administration, and even sports journalism. We want to show that Nigeria truly appreciates its athletes.”
Dr. Adeniyi also revealed plans to extend similar corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to other sporting bodies, including the National Sports Commission and the Nigeria Football Federation, as part of efforts to promote youth development through sports.
Meanwhile, Assistant Coach Blessing Oborududu expressed satisfaction with the team’s preparation and discipline in camp, assuring Nigerians of a strong outing at the Islamic Games.
“All the athletes in camp are training well and responding positively. With just two weeks to the tournament, we are focusing on refining already-acquired techniques rather than introducing new ones,” she said. “The President’s visit is a huge motivation for the athletes — it shows they have someone who believes in them.”
She added that four wrestlers will represent Nigeria at the Games, with some currently training abroad. “The team will travel on November 14, and Coach Purity will join us before departure,” she confirmed.
Speaking also, Team captain Rueben Hannah (68kg) also shared her excitement and determination to make the country proud.
“My expectation is to go there, give my all, and bring glory to Nigeria. The President’s visit really motivated us his words are a push and a challenge to give our best,” she said. “We, the wrestlers of Nigeria, are known for excellence, and we’ll keep that standard at the Islamic Games.”
The wrestlers are set to compete in various categories later this month, with the Federation expressing confidence in their ability to deliver outstanding performances while upholding the spirit of fair play and national pride.
