Captain of the Nigerian wheelchair basketball team, Ijigbamigbe Gbemisola Olubisi, has described confidence, teamwork and determination as key factors behind Nigeria’s historic participation in wheelchair basketball at the Commonwealth Games.
Speaking in an interview with Sports247, Ijigbamigbe reflected on the significance of leading Nigeria into the competition for the first time, admitting that the occasion initially came with some fear and uncertainty.
“At first, it was scary, but along the line, the confidence came, especially because I was working with the right team,” she said. “Everybody was rooting for the team, and that gave us the boost we needed.”
The captain also highlighted the team’s remarkable turnaround against South Africa during the qualifiers in Angola. Nigeria suffered a 7–3 defeat to South Africa in their opening encounter but responded emphatically by defeating the same opponents 8–3 in the final game.
According to Ijigbamigbe, nerves played a major role in the first defeat, with the team initially affected by South Africa’s reputation and previous results.
“I think the defeat in the first game was because it was our first game in the competition. The team was nervous and scared because of the news about South Africa defeating other countries,” she explained.
However, the team used the experience as motivation, holding discussions after their game against Kenya and resolving to improve their performance.
“I’m so glad that the team cooperated and went into the final with that same determination, and we came out conquerors,” she added.
Ijigbamigbe also revealed that she was present to support the Nigerian men’s team during their final against South Africa, although the men ultimately missed out on qualification for the Commonwealth Games.
At the Commonwealth Games, Nigeria later secured a historic first victory in wheelchair basketball by defeating India in their third game. The result also earned the team a place in the quarter-finals after defeats in their opening two matches.
“It was a close game, but I’m so grateful that when we needed the points to count, they counted,” Ijigbamigbe said, while praising teammate Nafisat for her outstanding contribution.
“We just had to win a game to qualify for the quarterfinals. I’m so glad that we were able to do that.”
Nigeria’s breakthrough marks an important milestone for wheelchair basketball in the country, with the team’s historic campaign providing a platform for greater visibility and development of the sport.
