Japan’s ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Suzuki Hideo has expressed a strong ray of hope that a donation of badminton equipment from his country will go a long way towards boosting further develoment of the sport across the federation.
Sports247 reports that Ambassador Hideo made the declaration during a ceremony to officially hand over the equipment to Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), adding that the gesture will boost grassroots and elite development programmes in the country.
He explained that the gesture was an initiative of Badminton Association of Japan, under the country’s Sport For Tomorrow (SFT) outreach, which packaged 55 rackets, 44 shuttlecocks, six racket covers and three racket bags, while also hoping that they will be carefully maintained by BFN for long-term usage.
The ambassador further described the donation of high-grade materials as a symbol of a robust friendship existing between Japan and Nigeria, while also acknowledging that sports is a tool for mutual understanding across races and promoting international cooperation.
He added that the donation, which was initiated through discussions between BFN president, Francis Orbih, who is also a council member of Badminton World Federation (BWF), and the president of Badminton Association of Japan, Mitsuru Murai, is meant to expand global interactions through sports.
While pointing out that Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided logistics in support of the venture and covering the international transportation costs for the package, the ambassador further disclosed that the country’s badminton federation president, Mitsuru Murai, is also a member of the BWF Council.
“We sincerely hope this donation will contribute to the continued growth and development of badminton in Nigeria, enabling more people to enjoy the sport and inspiring the younger generation to pursue their sporting dreams,” Ambassador Hideo submitted.