Nigeria’s top squash stars, Rofiat Abdulazeez and Gabriel Olufunmilayo, once again underlined their dominance of the national scene after emerging champions at the 2nd edition of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Championship, also known as the SIAO Squash Championship, which concluded at the Lagos Country Club over the weekend.
Abdulazeez was imperious in the women’s final, sweeping aside promising junior Mostural Durosinlorun in straight games, 3–0 (11–5, 11–8, 11–3), to reaffirm her status as the country’s leading female player. Her composed display and tactical superiority left no doubt about her pedigree on the big stage.
In the men’s category, national champion and top seed Gabriel Olufunmilayo maintained his unbeaten run, dispatching Shuaib Giwa 3–0 (11–2, 11–2, 11–6) in a dominant final performance that showcased his control, power, and experience.
Action also thrilled spectators across the club and invitational categories. Clement Efakpokire of Ikoyi Club claimed the veteran club invitational title after defeating Dr. Femi Bankole of Yellow Dot 3–0 (11–4, 11–5, 11–6).
However, Efakpokire fell short in the invitational category final, where Bunmi Apata of Lagos Country Club staged a gritty comeback to secure a hard-fought 3–2 victory (7–11, 11–9, 10–12, 12–10, 11–4) in what proved to be one of the most dramatic matches of the championship.
In the super veteran club division, Sanni Kabir of Yellow Dot emerged champion, beating Funmi Bankole of Lagos Country Club 3–0 (11–9, 11–9, 12–10) in the final.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Squash Section of Lagos Country Club, Sesan Asani, expressed appreciation to the sponsors and the Nigeria Squash Federation (NSF) for their continued support, noting that such backing was crucial to the growth of the sport.
President of the Nigeria Squash Federation, Sunday Wilson Egberipou, who graced the grand finale, praised the athletes for their high level of competition and sportsmanship.
He assured stakeholders that more squash championships would be staged before the end of 2025, reinforcing the federation’s commitment to sustaining momentum and developing the game nationwide.
The championship once again highlighted Nigeria’s depth of talent and the rising standard of squash in the country.
