In a wheelchair softball friendly match held at the National Stadium in Lagos, Ghana
emerged victorious over Nigeria with a score of four runs to three runs. The match,
organized by the Nigeria Wheelchair Softball Association, took place on Saturday and
showcased the resilience of both teams.
Despite a strong start by the Nigerian team, the Ghanaian team displayed an impressive
comeback, overturning a three-run deficit to outshine their hosts. At the conclusion of the
match, Samuel Babin and Bah Frimpong of Ghana were awarded the titles of Best Batter
and Most Valuable Player (MVP), respectively. Meanwhile, Lateef Jimoh and Razaq Bankole
of Nigeria received recognition as the Best Pitcher and Best Fielder, respectively.
Expressing his satisfaction with his team’s victory, Mr. Osei Mensah, President of the Ghana Wheelchair Softball Federation, also commended the improved performance of the Nigerian side.
He emphasized that the friendly match served as valuable training for the Ghanaian team in preparation for the upcoming World Cup Series scheduled to take place in the United States in August 2023.
Mensah expressed his hope that more African countries would participate in international
wheelchair softball events in the future. He urged other nations to embrace the sport and
lauded the support provided by the Ghanaian government and relevant agencies for the
development of wheelchair softball.
On the Nigerian side, Mr. Odior Sunday, President of the Nigeria Wheelchair Softball
Association, lamented the lack of support, sponsorship, and funding hindering the growth of wheelchair softball in the country.
Despite Nigeria being the pioneer of wheelchair softball in Africa, Sunday highlighted the
insufficient attention given to para-sports by the government, corporate entities, and
individual sponsors. He attributed the slow growth of the Nigerian team to inadequate
equipment, noting that each wheelchair costs between $4,000 and $15,000.
Sunday expressed his desire for financial institutions, corporate organizations, individuals,
and affluent individuals to come forward and support wheelchair softball.
Drawing inspiration from countries like the United States, where para-sports events receive sponsorship from various entities, Sunday emphasized the potential of para-sports in uplifting the over 20 million people living with disabilities in Nigeria, providing them with opportunities for active participation and leaving them less marginalized.
