The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has charged the country’s beach volleyball duo of Pamela Bawa and Esther Mbah to represent Africa well at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA, Sports247 reports.
Adeniyi, who is also the president of Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), commended Bawa and Mbah for their historic achievement, as they clinched the country’s first Olympics ticket in the sport by winning the 2026 African Beach Volleyball Championship in Alexandria, Egypt.
While praising their efforts, Adeniyi assured the players of his maximum support for their welfare and general upkeep, in order to ensure they prepare adequately for the Games, where he wants them to stand tall with Nigeria’s first-ever Olympics ticket in beach volleyball.
Adeniyi stressed that Nigeria’s qualification should not be treated as a fluke and urged the players to prove their quality on the world stage, ahead of which he urged them to study beach volleyball fixtures at previous Olympics, in order to identify where they need to improve.
While promising to work with the team’s officials to organise tours and matches against strong opponents to toughen the players ahead of the Games, Adeniyi urged the players to continue the same determination and hunger for success, adding that preparations must begin immediately.
The customs boss further declared that their achievement confirmed that, with the right motivation, discipline and investment, Nigerian athletes can achieve outstanding results, then urged them to maintain their desire for success in order to represent Africa well at the Olympics.
Adeniyi stated, “I want you to take this same determination, this same preparedness and this strong desire for glory to the Olympics, and you can be sure that we’ll give you all the support that will give you a podium finish during the Olympics in 2028.
“You are going there as African champions and you must be the best that Africa has in that particular competition. You have shown that it is possible. You beat two African teams to qualify. You have shown that it is possible in big competitions.
“With better coordination, better planning and the most strategic approach, I am sure within the next two years we can break that dominance. Those who will do it are people like you. We cannot wait to get you to that moment where you will rule the world.”
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